Motorists traveling between Reedsport and Interstate 5 should get ready for twelve months of stop-and-go traffic. Starting Monday, August 14, construction will begin on a $7.4 million project that repairs or replaces 34 culverts along Oregon 38 (Umpqua Highway). As many as five different work zones may be in operation at any given time. At Burchard Creek (milepost 21.5) and Grabb Creek (milepost 25.1), new bridges will replace the existing box culverts. Construction will limit highway traffic to a single lane at both locations for one year. Temporary traffic signals will be installed in late August or early September. New box culverts will be installed at Scott Creek (milepost 25.6) and Green Creek (milepost 41.9). Traffic at both locations will be limited to a single lane with flaggers for a period of two to three consecutive weeks. At other times, motorists can expect intermittent lane closures with flaggers. The traffic signals at the bridge sites will include pedestrian push buttons. Flaggers will accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists at the other work zones. The project also repairs or replaces 30 small culverts along Oregon 38 between Reedsport and Elkton and two small culverts on U.S. 101 near Winchester Bay. The Oregon State Police will provide additional patrols throughout the project area. Construction is scheduled for completion in September 2018. This project is part of a three-year pilot program that repairs or replaces more than 150 culverts along Oregon 38 and U.S. 101 (Oregon Coast Highway) in an effort to improve drainage and fish passage. For more information, visit www.SouthwestOregonCulverts.com. To request project updates, send an email to Dan.Latham@odot.state.or.us.
