Older News

This page holds all of the news articles that previously featured under the Recent Oregon Highway News section of the main page. Articles sorted by year.

Key

🔨 = Project information | 🚧 = Road closure information | 🔥 = Fire information | 💥 = Hazard information | 🧾 = Historical information | 🇺🇸 = National road news | 🌍 = World road news | 🔊 = Audio version/podcast episode available | 📺 = Video | 💲 = Paywall | 💰 = Obnoxious paywall | 😡 = Other webpage annoyances | 💀 = Dead link

Articles

2024

January

💥 🚧 Slide closes South River Road, traffic blocked until at least Monday

(1/28/2024 — Salem Reporter — Salem)

A landslide has closed South River Road as city crews evaluate the conditions. The road is closed from Owens Street South to the entrance of Minto-Brown Island Park. The park remains open.

💥 🚧 High Water In Hillsboro Closes Roads And Parks

(1/28/2024 — Hillsboro Herald — Hillsboro)

Water, water, everywhere! The month is not over yet, but Hillsboro, Oregon, and the valley will end up at the end of this month with a January 2024 total of 8.5+ inches. We average 5.14 inches in January historically.

😡 💥 🚧 Mudslide in Astoria impacts 7 residences, closes road

(1/27/2024 — KGW NBC 8 — Portland)

A slow-moving mudslide is affecting residents and has closed a section of a street in Astoria, officials said Saturday morning. The mudslide was reported around 10:01 a.m. in the area of 27th Street and Grand Avenue. Police notified residents and city public works officials, who are assessing the situation.

🔨 ODOT seeking public feedback on plan between Phoenix and South Medford

(1/26/2024 — KDRV NewsWatch 12 — Medford)

The Oregon Department of Transportation is asking for public feedback on a potential overpass between Phoenix and the South Medford exit. ODOT is reviewing multiple roadway options to lift stress on area interchanges and local roads.

📺 Grant’s Getaways: A paradise for birds and beasts can be found along this Oregon backroad byway

(1/26/2024 — KGW NBC 8 — Portland)

A cold winter chill may dampen, but never drown my spirit for adventure along Oregon roadways that are less traveled; especially when I’ve so much wild company to show the way.

Class action lawsuit filed against Medford for red-light trap

(1/25/2024 — KOBI-TV NBC 5/KOTI-TV NBC 2 — Medford/Klamath Falls)

After almost two years in the making, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the City of Medford and the Medford Police Department. The class action pertains to a photo red-light camera ticketing program that the plaintiff and attorney on the case claim has been operating illegally.

😡 🚧 Highway 26 back open after rolled-over semi removed

(1/24/2024 — Central Oregon Daily — Bend)

Highway 26 is now open between Mt. Hood and Warm Springs following a closure to recover a semi-truck that crashed Tuesday, says ODOT. The Highway was re-opened around 7:45 pm Wednesday evening after closing earlier in the afternoon.

😡 💥 ODOT: Pothole may have damaged around 40 cars on I-205 172-mile bike and pedestrian corridor in development in southwest Oregon

(1/23/2024 — KGW NBC 8 — Portland)

An emergency pothole repair is underway on a lane of I-205 southbound after an estimated 40 cars were "potentially damaged", according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

🔨 172-mile bike and pedestrian corridor in development in southwest Oregon

(1/23/2024 — KDRV NewsWatch 12 — Medford)

The Rogue-Umpqua Bicycle and Pedestrian Corridor plan helps address bicycle and pedestrian needs along the entire 172-mile corridor. That corridor consists of North Umpqua Highway, Diamond Lake Highway, Crater Lake Highway and Sams Valley Highway.

🚧 PHOTOS: Driver ignores Tillamook County road closure, plunges into hole left by 200-foot landslide

(1/22/2024 — KOIN CBS 6 — Portland)

An unknown driver in Tillamook County drove past safety barricades during the early morning hours of Jan. 21 before plunging into a hole left by a 200-foot landslide, which shut down Sandlake Road on Dec. 6.

😡 🔨 $200 million federal grant will help fund Hood River bridge replacement

(1/22/2024 — KGW NBC 8 — Portland)

The Hood River Bridge replacement project has secured a $200 million federal grant, enough to cover more than a third of the projected cost of a new bridge across the Columbia River between Hood River and White Salmon.

🚧 I-84 reopens in Columbia River Gorge

(1/19/2024 — OregonLive — Portland)

Oregon transportation officials reopened a 47-mile stretch of Interstate 84 in the Columbia River Gorge that had been closed since Tuesday afternoon. The closure of the freeway from Troutdale to Hood River lasted nearly 31 hours.

💥 East MultCo. still plagued by icy roads and downed power lines

(1/18/2024 — KOIN CBS 6 — Portland)

A powerline that struck an occupied car Thursday night in Troutdale is just one example of the freezing rain making a mess of local roads and causing outages — particularly in East Multnomah County — just as parts of the greater Portland area were starting to thaw out.

🚧 Hwy 26 closed west of Warm Springs due to spun-out trucks

(1/18/2024 — KPTV Fox 12 Oregon — Portland)

Highway 26 is closed near Warm Springs, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Just after 10 a.m., ODOT posted on X about the closure from milepost 100 to 101, west of Warm Springs. Several trucks have spun out on the highway.

🚧 📺 Truckers wait for I-84 to reopen between Troutdale and Hood River

(1/17/2024 — KPTV Fox 12 Oregon — Portland)

Driving conditions are bad everywhere but even more dangerous as you head toward the Gorge.

🚧 ODOT warns drivers to prepare for slippery roads, announces road closures

(1/17/2024 — KVAL 13 News — Eugene, OR)

As temperatures begin to warm up, ice and snow will melt. That's why the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is telling drivers to be prepared for slippery roads and high water.

💥 Icy conditions causing loss of traction, downed power lines on I-5

(1/16/2024 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

Icy conditions are causing vehicles to lose traction and crash on the southbound off ramp of Interstate 5 at Exit 199, Oregon Dept. of Transportation reports. They advise motorists to use an alternate route.

🚧 Fatal two-vehicle crash closes Oregon Highway 58 near Odell Lake for hours

(1/16/2024 — KTVZ NewsChannel 21 — Bend)

A two-vehicle crash Monday night on Oregon Highway 58 near Odell Lake claimed a life and closed the highway for hours, authorities said. The crash was reported around 9 p.m. near milepost 61, about halfway between the Highway 9[7] junction and Oakridge.

🚧 ODOT closes I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge

(1/16/2024 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

The Oregon Department of Transportation says they have closed I-84 in the Gorge before conditions become unsafe. “We close the gorge when conditions are unsafe, and we will keep it closed until we can get the roads safe again...”

💥 I-5 backup leaves drivers stranded for hours

(1/15/2024 — KEZI-TV ABC 9 — Eugene)

Hundreds of people are home safe after spending more than 15 hours stuck on Interstate 5 south of Eugene, but many more are still stuck on the highway. Spin-outs and loss of traction caused multiple accidents, and brought traffic on I-5 Northbound near Cottage Grove to a stand-still.

🚧 PBOT provides update after 3 days of winter storm: 44 roads closed in Portland

(1/15/2024 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

Although there are currently 44 closed roads in Portland, the Portland Bureau of Transportation says that if you have any important errands to run, you should do them today - because more winter weather expected tomorrow will tangle things up again.

🔨 🔊 Historic Columbia Gorge highway is one step nearer completion, with world-class aspirations

(1/11/2024 — Oregon Public Broadcasting — Portland)

There are 77 waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge, and that’s just on the Oregon side. You can catch a glimpse of some as you drive along Interstate 84. But for the best views, you need to travel the old Columbia River Highway, which snakes along the basalt walls offering one picture book scene after another.

2023

December

Tolls on U.S. 26, Hwy 217? Local leaders to consider study’s proposal

(12/27/2023 — KOIN CBS 6 — Portland)

Tolling has been a hot topic in the Portland metro area throughout 2023, but that heat could spread next year as government leaders consider tolling on the west side. A new study by the Oregon Department of Transportation and Metro focused on improving gridlock during commute times on Highway 26 and Highway 217 — and proposed tolling as a possible solution.

Wilsonville City Council votes to survey public on I-5 and I-205 possible tolling plans

(12/23/2023 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

The Wilsonville City Council this week voted to join other cities in an effort to poll public opinion on adding tolls to I-5 and I-205. There is no official plan to add any tolls. In fact, Governor Kotek ordered ODOT to pause all tolling efforts until 2026.

🔨 Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project wins $600 million federal grant; $4 billion total now secured

(12/15/2023 — The Columbian — Vancouver, WA)

Christmas came early for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program in the form of a $600 million federal grant, announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Oregon drivers can pass cyclists in no-passing zones starting in January

(12/12/2023 — Oregon Public Broadcasting — Portland)

A new law in Oregon will let drivers pass a slow-moving cyclist in a no-passing zone. Starting Jan. 1, vehicles traveling at less than half the speed limit will be considered road obstructions.

February

💰 Columbia Gorge highway timed-entry ‘waterfall corridor’ permits won’t return in 2023

(2/9/2023 — Salem Statesman-Journal — Salem)

Federal and state officials have decided not to return to a permit system that limited the number of people traveling into the Columbia Gorge’s “waterfall corridor” on the historic highway this coming summer.

January

💥 🚧 Rockfall closes Oregon Highway 229 in the Coast Range, south of Lincoln City

(1/28/2023 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

Oregon Highway 229, the Siletz Highway, is closed by a rockfall at milepost 18 according to ODOT.

🧾 How Did the Banfield Freeway Get Its Name?

(1/22/2023 — Willamette Week — Portland)

How did the Banfield Freeway get its name? I tried Googling, but all I can find is stuff about Banfield Pet Hospital. Was there a Dr. Cyrus Q. Banfield back in the day who became famous as Portland’s first veterinarian?

2022

December

🔨 Washington State Is Losing Control of the Columbia Interstate Bridge Replacement Megaproject

(12/28/2022 — The Urbanist)

When state lawmakers from both Oregon and Washington met earlier this month to discuss the latest updates on plans to replace Interstate 5 over the Columbia River, the team overseeing the project had just announced that the total cost estimate for the five-mile highway project had gone up by more than $2.5 billion in the upper-end estimate.

🧾 100 years of the Willamette’s Arch Bridge

(12/28/2022 — Oregon Public Broadcasting — Portland)

One hundred years ago the Willamette Arch Bridge opened, connecting Oregon City and West Linn. The Oregonian reported an estimated 10,000 people attended the Dec. 28, 1922, dedication ceremony.

🔨 PBOT announces safety improvements to Northeast Killingsworth

(12/12/2022 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

A section of Northeast Killingsworth in the Cully neighborhood is slated to receive a variety of safety improvements that include protected bike lanes, the Portland Bureau of Transportation said Monday.

🚧 ODOT: Columbia River Highway now open following landslide Saturday afternoon

(12/10/2022 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

ODOT says the highway has reopened following a slide that had temporarily closed it Saturday afternoon. ODOT was able to work quickly to get the highway open. It had been closed at Vista House at Crown Point.

💰 💥 Winter storm warning issued for Oregon mountain passes into Saturday for 1-2 feet of snow

(12/9/2022 — Salem Statesman-Journal — Salem)

More snow is headed for Oregon's mountain passes and roads into this weekend. A winter storm warning has been issued for Friday and Saturday due to a forecast of 12 to 24 inches of snow above 2,000 feet but with the greatest impact coming above 4,000 feet, mainly between Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson, according to the National Weather Service in Portland.

💰 💥 Winter storm to bring another big snow dump on Oregon Cascade passes, likely into weekend

(12/7/2022 — Salem Statesman-Journal — Salem)

Two rounds of snow are expected to hit Oregon’s Cascade Range late this week and this weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Portland. Both systems could disrupt travel over Oregon's Cascade Range passes while bringing more snow to ski areas and winter recreation destinations.

🔨 How are people supposed to commute around Portland when the I-5 and I-205 tolls arrive?

(12/6/2022 — KGW NBC 8 — Portland)

In November, we took a look at what you can expect from tolling programs that are currently under development by the Oregon Department of Transportation for parts of I-5 and I-205.

ODOT crews install boulders to prevent encampments under Portland overpass

(12/6/2022 — KPTV Fox 12 Oregon — Portland)

The Oregon Department of Transportation is working to keep encampments away from Interstate 5 by adding large boulders. FOX 12 found crews placing boulders under the Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northeast Marine Drive overpass. ODOT says it’s a well known campsite.

🔨 PBOT pushes new Powell Blvd truck detour

(12/2/2022 — BikePortland — Portland)

In the wake of an October crash that killed Portlander Sarah Pliner while she biked across Southeast Powell Blvd at 26th Avenue, advocates have pressed for changes. Pliner died after being hit by a man driving a semi-truck north on 26th Avenue as he made a sweeping right turn onto Powell and swiped her with the truck trailer in the process.

🧾 McKenzie River Crossings

(12/1/2022 — McKenzie River Reflections — McKenzie Bridge)

So much of the time we go busily about our everyday life with no thought of how our area got to be the way it is now. I find that most people really take interest in and enjoy the area much more once they learn something about the history behind it.

November

🔨 ODOT plans to toll Portland freeways, but first they want to hear from you

(11/26/2022 — Oregon Public Broadcasting — Portland)

Like a road sign ahead of mountainous curves, the Oregon Department of Transportation is trying to flag what’s ahead. For drivers in Portland, it’s tolls. The transportation agency has recently opened a public comment period on a pair of tolling projects that could begin charging some drivers as soon as 2024, before growing elsewhere in the city in 2025.

💥 Plow operator shortage means Oregon drivers should prepare for snowed-in roads this winter

(11/25/2022 — OregonLive — Portland)

The Oregon Department of Transportation says a shortage of snowplow drivers means crews will be slower to clear roads, and that drivers should take extra precautions this winter. ODOT spokesperson Don Hamilton said the agency has 382 vacant maintenance positions statewide.

💰 💥 Winter storm warning issued for Oregon Cascade passes this weekend due to heavy snow

(11/25/2022 — Salem Statesman-Journal — Salem)

A winter storm warning for heavy snow and high winds has been issued for Oregon mountain passes from early Sunday morning into Monday. The weather could impact travelers heading between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

September

Judge rules ODOT failed to comply with public records request

(9/27/2022 — The Oregonian — Portland, OR)

The state transportation department failed to provide the proper documents in response to a public records request, a judge determined on Monday. Portland lawyer Alan Kessler took the Oregon Department of Transportation to trial, alleging that the agency altered public records that he requested regarding a proposed expansion of Interstate 5 in Portland.

Oregon byway makes list of 7 scenic drives for fall foliage in U.S.

(9/26/2022 — KOIN CBS 6 — Portland, OR)

Hardy, coniferous trees are an icon of Central Oregon, but the region gets its fair share of fall color — just like western parts of the state. In fact, the “dazzling” red vine maple trees found along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway recently earned the stretch of roadway recognition on CNN’s list of “7 scenic drives across the United States for your fall foliage fix.”

🔨 Another traffic light is being installed on Coburg Road in Eugene

(9/22/2022 — KVAL 13 News — Eugene, OR)

In the next couple of months, you'll have another stop along Coburg Road in Eugene as a new traffic light is currently being installed. A planned development on the corner of Elysium Avenue and Coburg Road is the reason behind the new light. Neighbors have mixed reactions on what it will mean for traffic in the area.

🔨 C-Tran CEO Donaghy airs I-5 Bridge replacement plan worries

(9/22/2022 — The Columbian — Vancouver, WA)

C-Tran’s CEO Shawn Donaghy recently raised concerns about a breakdown in communication between the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program and C-Tran. Donaghy, who spoke for roughly 25 minutes during the Sept. 13 C-Tran Board of Directors meeting, also raised concerns and frustrations about whether a proposed light rail station in Vancouver would be elevated, light rail activists within the bridge replacement team and where trains will be stored.

🚧 I-84 closures coming this weekend; Tri-met working on a new bridge

(9/21/2022 — KATU ABC 2 — Portland)

A KATU traffic alert,in two days both directions of I-84 will shut down near the I-205 interchange. The closure will last the entire weekend, starting at 10:00 p.m. Friday, September 23. I-84 should reopen by 4:00 a.m. on Monday, September 25. This is all for work on a new light rail bridge over the freeway. Drivers will need to find an alternate route during the closure.

🔨 The State Highway Department Withheld Information About the Billion-Dollar Rose Quarter Project

(9/21/2022 — Willamette Week — Portland)

A long-running disagreement over public information concerning a proposed $1 billion highway project is set for trial in Marion County Circuit Court next week. At issue is a seemingly straightforward question: What does the public think of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s plan to widen Interstate 5 at the Rose Quarter?

😡 📺 Welcome to the High Desert highway that is one-of-a-kind in Oregon

(9/21/2022 — Central Oregon Daily — Bend)

The Oregon Department Of Transportation owns and maintains about 8,000 miles of state highways. One small section of that 8,000 miles is unique. And it’s located in the High Desert. Oregon Highway 27 starts as Main Street in Prineville. On its entire 44.78-mile southbound route, there is only one sign telling you that you’re driving OR 27.

🔨 Highway Boondoggles, Part VII: Oregon’s Abernethy Insanity

(9/20/2022 — StreetsBlog USA)

Every day, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation, more than 100,000 vehicles travel the seven-mile stretch of Interstate 205 between Stafford Road and Oregon Route 213 in Oregon City — the often congested last remaining four-lane section of I-205. As part of its “I-205 Improvements Project,” the agency’s solution is to add a third lane in each direction on I-205 between Stafford Road and OR 99E, as well as a northbound entrance-to-exit lane (or “auxiliary lane”) between OR 99E and OR 213.

🔨 ODOT enters design phase of new bridge over Willamette River near Green Acres Road

(9/20/2022 — KEZI-TV ABC 9 — Eugene)

The Oregon Department of Transportation has officially entered the design phase for a new bridge that runs over the Willamette River. Earlier this year, organizers ran into issues raising money to get the project started. Despite the fact they are still working to find the money to begin construction, they now have enough to dive deeper into the design phase.

🔨 I-5 Rose Quarter update: ODOT’s survey, Tubman relocation, and more

(9/20/2022 — BikePortland — Portland)

Now that the City of Portland and the Albina Vision Trust have both signed onto Oregon Department of Transportation plans to expand I-5 at the Rose Quarter it may seem like smooth sailing for the controversial project. And if Governor Kate Brown gets her wish, pro-freeway candidate Lee Beyer will be the next member of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC), which would give the project even more institutional support within the state legislature.

Environmentalists Want Gov. Kate Brown to Rescind Appointment to Transportation Commission

(9/20/2022 — Willamette Week — Portland)

On Aug. 31, Gov. Kate Brown announced she’d nominated 114 people to state boards and commissions. One of those picks is receiving significant blowback: Brown’s selection of outgoing state Sen. Lee Beyer (D-Springfield) to serve on the Oregon Transportation Commission. Eleven environmental groups—including 1000 Friends of Oregon, the Street Trust and Oregon Walks—penned a Sept. 13 letter to Brown objecting to Beyer’s nomination.

🔨 Why alternative Interstate 5 Bridge replacement ideas won’t work

(9/18/2022 — The Columbian — Vancouver, WA)

Nearly everyone agrees the Interstate 5 Bridge is not serving the region well. It would be catastrophically damaged in a big earthquake, it lacks breakdown and auxiliary lanes, it is not safe for pedestrians or cyclists and freeway congestion is terrible — heaven forbid you’re traveling north after 3 p.m. What people can’t agree on is what should replace it.

🚧 Highway 58 paving project moved to daytime hours

(9/17/2022 — KEZI-TV ABC 9 — Eugene)

Paving work along Highway 58 is switching to daytime hours starting September 19th. This is along Oregon Highway 58 from the tunnel to milepost 70. Officials with the Oregon Department of Transportation said in order to get all paving done with the weather is good, they are switching work to daytime hours.

🔥 Cascade Lakes Highway being used as a fuel break against Cedar Creek Fire

(9/12/2022 — Central Oregon Daily — Bend)

A second incident command was established at Mt. Bachelor over the weekend to manage the east side of the Cedar Creek Fire. One of many strategies being considered is using the Cascade Lakes Highway as a fuel break to prevent the fire from running east toward La Pine. Preparing the highway to function as a fuel break means the corridor will look very different whether fire reaches it or not.

🧾 City of Salem Honoring Civil Rights Icon by Renaming Salem Parkway

(9/10/2022 — City of Salem Community News — Salem)

Salem is renaming Salem Parkway (also known as State Highway 72) in honor of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Oregon Department of Transportation will be changing 11 signs from Salem Parkway to the abbreviated Dr. MLK Jr Pkwy in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. beginning Friday, September 9.

🚧 🔥 Nearly 2-week closure of U.S. Highway 20 east of Sweet Home begins amid Hwy. 58 closure due to Cedar Creek Fire

(9/8/2022 — KTVZ NewsChannel 21 — Bend)

The nearly two-week construction and landslide repair closure of U.S. Highway 20 east of Sweet Home began Sunday, delayed by two days for traveler safety due to critical fire conditions. The closure originally was scheduled to begin Friday. ODOT urges travelers to visit TripCheck.com for the most current information.

August

Animal crossings over and under highways can save big dollars — not just lives — says new study

(8/31/2022 — Oregon Public Broadcasting — Portland)

Collisions between vehicles and large animals, like deer, are not only scary. The medical, car repair and cleanup costs really add up. That is according to a new study out of Washington State University that supports the case for building more wildlife crossings on highways. The Oregon and Washington transportation departments are adding wildlife overpasses, underpasses and related fencing bit by bit, as scarce funding allows.

ODOT to rename stretch of I-5 that honored former KKK member

(8/31/2022 — Portland Tribune — Portland)

Robert Hugh "Sam" Baldock, a renowned highway engineer who shaped Oregon's freeway system, was so accomplished that Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem was officially named the Baldock Freeway. But now Baldock's name is being scrubbed from state transportation facilities because Baldock was a past Ku Klux Klan member.

🧾 🔊 How freeway builders collided with Oregon’s growth management system

(8/5/2022 — Oregon Public Broadcasting — Portland)

[Meeky] Blizzard had become the leading face of political opposition to a proposed freeway that would have run along the fringes of Washington County’s suburban fringe. Known as the Westside Bypass, the 20-mile freeway was ardently sought by the county’s business and political leaders. But their freeway-building vision clashed with Oregon’s pioneering new growth management system — those rules about where and how land could be developed.

May

🚧 🔨 Full road closure of OR 47 starting May 16

(5/6/2022 — Oregon Department of Transportation)

We're starting work soon to replace the West Fork Dairy Creek Bridge! Starting May 16, expect OR 47 to be closed to the north and south of the bridge as our crews work on replacing the 80 year old bridge.

March

💀 🔨 Oregon Transportation Commission approves millions for Highway 97 reroute in Bend

(3/30/2022 — Bend Bulletin — Bend)

The intersection of Cooley Road and U.S. Highway 97 on the north side of Bend. The Oregon Transportation Commission approved funding Wednesday to realign Highway 97 and improve U.S. Highway 20.

February

😡 🔨 ODOT releases new 'dogbone' concept design for Lower Bridge Way

(2/5/2022 — Central Oregon Daily — Bend)

The Oregon Department of Transportation has announced a new construction concept at Highway 97 and Lower Bridge Way - a historically dangerous intersection in Terrebonne. It's called a “dogbone” and it manages traffic similar to a roundabout.