Oregon passes reopen as snowstorm cleanup continues

The big cleanup continues from several days of heavy snowfall this week, with progress that has cleared the mountain passes but much work still left to do around the region, including Central Oregon communities and neighborhoods.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said its maintenance crews will begin removing snow from the Third Street stretch of Highway 20 Saturday night from about Empire Avenue south to Greenwood Avenue.

The work is expected to go from about 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, and they “will repeat that schedule until both travel lanes are clear,”

Crews will be blocking one lane of travel in each direction. Motorists should be prepared for congestion until the procedure is completed.

For the first time in days, ODOT TripCheck on Saturday showed all the state’s mountain passes open.

State Highway 58 in Lane County reopened Friday evening after being closed nearly five days due to a massive snowstorm that felled nearly 1,000 trees and numerous power lines throughout the corridor, ODOT said.

“Crews have worked night and day in hazardous conditions to prepare the road for safe travel,” the agency said, urging drivers to be prepared for winter driving conditions over the Cascades.

In southern Oregon, Highway 138E (the North Umpqua Highway also reopened Friday afternoon.

But ODOT said that motorists traveling from Roseburg to Diamond Lake or Central Oregon are advised to drive with caution. Winter road conditions are in effect.

Highway 138E had been closed since Monday, when a snowstorm knocked down power lines and trees throughout Douglas County.