NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Media Contacts:
Laura Pramuk, PAO, 503-668-1791
Don Hamilton, ODOT PIO, 503-704-7452 or Don.Hamilton@odot.state.or.us
Twitter: @forestservice
Plan ahead for Mt. Hood National Forest’s
Upcoming Safety and Aquatic Habitat Roadwork Projects Scheduled for OR 35
Zigzag, OR—6/26/19—Mt. Hood National Forest
The Mt. Hood National Forest in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Western Federal Lands will be working on various projects along Highway 35 throughout the summer.
Travelers can find updates on general Forest road conditions, planned road work, and alerts about travel delays or hazards by visiting the Mt. Hood National Forest website. Our Roads Table, and Alerts are frequently updated with information about road maintenance activities and closures. ODOT’S Tripcheck is also an excellent resource for up-to-date information about delays, construction projects and accidents for travelers throughout the state.
Rockfall work
Oregon Department of Transportation will address rockfall concerns at two locations on Oregon 35 this summer. This project will reduce the potential for rockfall hazards to impact the highway and increase safety for travelers.
Two sections of the highway will be the focus of this work:
- Near the exit for Mt. Hood Meadows (milepost 63) - ODOT will inspect the slopes, remove hazard trees, and remove loose rock. During construction, one lane in each direction on OR 35 will be open, and access to Mt. Hood Meadows will be available. This work could take about a month to complete.
- Near Polallie Creek and Coopers Spur Road (milepost 73) - ODOT will remove hazard trees, remove loose rock from the ditch and repair the rockfall protection fence. During construction, flaggers will direct traffic in the work zone. This work could take up to two months to complete.
Work is expected to begin this summer and continue through fall 2019. Project updates will be available on the project website: tinyurl.com/OR35Rock2019
Road and Culvert Improvements at Meadows Creek
At the end of May, Western Federal Lands Highway began a project to replace two undersized culverts at Mt. Hood Meadows, and add turn lanes at the intersection of Meadows Creek on OR 35 and Teacup Lake Road. The project should be completed at the end of September and is located near the entrance of Mt. Hood Meadows. The addition of a left-hand turn lane northbound and a right-hand turn lane southbound to access the lower parking lots at Mt. Hood Meadows will improve safety at this busy intersection. Culvert replacement will improve passage for fish and other aquatic organisms.
This project will include single-lane closures for north and south bound traffic on Highway 35 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. until July 3rd. From July 9 through August 16, travel will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading both North and South at Meadows Creek, 24 hours a day. Traffic will be controlled by traffic signals.
Motorists should expect a temporary traffic signal, or flaggers directing traffic, heavy equipment, lane adjustments, and possible delays throughout the summer along this section of OR 35 during this project. Motorists should also expect delays due to increased traffic congestion as a result of the facility improvement construction at this location.
Please drive carefully so you arrive at your Mt. Hood National Forest destination safely this summer. This is the time of year when forest use is at its highest, so all of us need to expect more traffic, on-going road work, logging trucks, and more people in the woods. There’s a lot to see and do and we want everyone to have a good time discovering their special place on the forest.
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