ODOT: Wickiup Junction RR overpass ahead of schedule

Work on the $16 million Wickiup Junction railroad overpass project located at the north end ofLa Pine is progressing ahead of schedule and on track for completion next year, the Oregon Department of Transportation said Thursday.

If you live in the area,you have probably noticed a majority of the earthwork required for the new alignment of US97 leading up to the railroad overpass has been complete.

As such, the prime contractor, High Desert Aggregate & Paving, has left the project for the time being. The bridge work is still progressing by a subcontractor, and ODOT said “we anticipate completion of the new overpass structure sometime in November of this year.”

Once the bridge is complete, the project will be shut down this winter and work will resume late next spring once the weather is suitable for paving.

ODOT said it anticipates work to start sometime around April or May. From there, it should take about two to three months to complete the work and have traffic running on the new roadway, thus eliminating the last at-grade railroad crossing on all of Highway 97 in Oregon.

The schedule next year is still flexible, but ODOT said it will provide updates as things progress overthe next six months, specifically regarding theeffect on traffic next year.

To learn more, visit: https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION4/pages/us97_wickiup_jct/us97_wickiup_jct.aspx