Three day closure of U.S. Hwy. 730 begins Sept. 25
UMATILLA, Ore. - The Oregon Department of Transportation’s contractor, Weaver Construction, is repairing two bridges along U.S. Highway 730 west of Irrigon, located one mile east of the junction of Interstate 84 at mile point 168.8. Construction activities are prompting single lane travel at the UPRR Clarke and USRS Canal bridges with temporary signals controlling traffic movements. Beginning the morning of Sept. 25 the bridges will be closed for up to 72 hours, with traffic returning to single lane travel by 6 a.m. Sept. 28. During the closure through traffic will detoured around U.S. 730 via Interstate 84 and Interstate 82. Motorists are advised to plan extra travel time for this detour route.
This closure was originally planned to begin Friday, but has been delayed to begin Sept. 25.
The three day closure is needed to accommodate the replacement of the bridge decks and cure time for new concrete. One of the bridge decks will be replaced this month and the second is scheduled to be replaced around October 20 with a similar three-day closure.
"Once the closure begins, the contractor will have a short amount of time to remove the old bridge deck and pour concrete for the new one," said ODOT Region 5 Public Information Officer Tom Strandberg. "It will then take about a day for the new concrete to cure before traffic can be allowed back on the structure. We understand the closures will affect some travelers and ask that motorists plan ahead. We will open the route as soon as possible." The bridge repair project is scheduled to be completed by November 15, 2008.
More information about this project is available by contacting ODOT Region 5 Public Information Officer Tom Strandberg at (541) 963-1330 or by email at thomas.m.strandberg@odot.state.or.us .
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