ODOT reopens one temporary, gravel lane of slide-hit Highway 101 near Port Orford
PORT ORFORD, Ore. (KTVZ) — One lane of U.S. Highway 101 reopened to all traffic 12 miles south of Port Orford at 3:30 pm. Friday, ODOT said. The temporary gravel lane was prepared after a landslide closed the coastal highway early Monday morning.
ODOT said crews will flag vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic through the temporary lane, which stretches about 200 yards through the collapsed section of U.S. 101. Travelers through the landslide area should expect delays, they said, urging motorists to please be careful near people and equipment.
The temporary lane has no vehicle weight restrictions, and it can accommodate up to 14-foot-wide loads. Wider loads will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Tidewater Contractors, a local firm from Brookings, built the temporary lane this week. using rock and gravel.
“We thank Tidewater for their quick, efficient work,” said Glen Pederson, ODOT district manager. “As a local contractor, they understood how important it was to get the highway open for their communities.”
ODOT staff will monitor the landslide for any more activity in the coming weeks, but the landslide has been stable since Tuesday. The agency said it might need to close the highway again with short notice, if they detect further slide activity.
"We expect to open additional temporary gravel lanes through the slide over the next few weeks," ODOT said in its update. "Long term, we’re still determining a cost-effective way to repair the damaged section of highway."
