ODOT plans to have paving work done, open McKenzie Pass by Fourth of July

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Construction crews are hard at work on the east side of McKenzie Pass and plan to have the highway above the gate paved and open by the morning of Thursday, July 4, ODOT said Friday. Earlier this week, crews began paving preparation work beyond the gate of this seasonally closed pass.

Only the east side of the pass is under construction, but the west side will also remain closed at the gate just beyond Linton Lake until July 4. Limited space for vehicles to turn around on the west side makes it unsafe to open any further towards the summit.

Once the freshly paved pass opens above the gate, there will still be some construction work happening. Tasks like striping, putting up signage and clean-up may cause minor delays.

Paving on the east side section of highway below the gate will continue through July and could also cause some delays. Unlike the upper highway, this section is wide enough to accommodate traffic and construction equipment with single lane closures and flaggers. 

"After a long winter, we know everyone is anxious to head out," the agency said. "Remember that when this road is closed, it's closed to everyone. Entering the work zone is dangerous and can cause delays that may slow down the project timeline. Since crews will be working in a closed area, they may work any day of the week and heavy equipment will remain on the road until its open."

Funding from a Federal Lands Access Program grant is repaving OR Highway 242 from the junction with U.S. Highway 20 in Sisters to the summit at Dee Wright Observatory. Improvement grants like this are critical to low-traffic volume roads like McKenzie Pass. More information is available on ODOT's project website. 

ODOT also said, "There is always the possibility that extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances could delay the opening past July 4."