Highway construction begins in Reedsport next week, July 6

Highway construction will begin in Reedsport next week as ODOT and prime contractor Knife River Materials break ground on the Oregon 38: U.S. 101 to Dean Creek Paving project. The $8 million project will repave six miles of Oregon 38, from the U.S. 101 junction to Dean Creek, and make several pedestrian and safety improvements along both highways. Starting Monday, July 9, U.S. 101 motorists should watch for southbound lane and shoulder closures south of the Umpqua River Bridge as workers replace a one-block section of sidewalk between Port Dock Road and Myrtle Avenue. Construction will continue throughout the week.Flaggers and pilot cars will provide traffic control. Night work on Oregon 38 will also begin July 9. Before paving the highway, workers will remove the asphalt curb on the hill between Reedsport and Dean Creek (milepost 1-3). Motorists should expect lane closures and 20-minute delays between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. each weeknight. Paving work on Oregon 38 is scheduled to begin July 15, and will generally run from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m., Sunday nights to Friday mornings. Construction will limit the highway to a single lane, and motorists should expect delays of 20 minutes. The paving work will continue several weeks, although all lanes are scheduled to be open July 24-30 for DuneFest. More project information is available at: www.ReedsportHighways.com.