Railroad crossing repairs to close Hwy. 97 at Wickiup Jct. in La Pine on Monday; detours planned

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Motorists should expect delays of up to 20 minutes on Monday if traveling through the La Pine area on U.S. Highway 97 due to railroad crossing repairs that could take seven hours to complete, ODOT said.  

BNSF Railway reports that the railroad crossing at Wickiup Junction has been damaged, and a rail in the crossing must be replaced. Railway staff say the repairs could take up to seven hours, and the crossing must be closed to traffic while they work.

ODOT and Deschutes County will have a detour in place for U.S. 97 traffic during the closure.  

The railroad crossing remains safe for vehicles, the agency said. 

The detour will be as follows:

• Starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday, a detour will route traffic around the railroad crossing at milepost 165 via Burgess Road, Huntington Road and State Rec Road.
• Signs and staff will direct travelers through the detour route. Deschutes County and ODOT will be on site.