Oregon Highway 38 will be closed at the Elk Creek Tunnel (milepost 39) five nights a week for the next three months as workers install a protective lining inside the tunnel. The closures will begin Sunday, Feb. 16, and are scheduled from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. each Saturday night to Thursday morning. During the nighttime closures, eastbound Oregon 38 traffic will detour from Elkton to Sutherlin on Oregon Highway 138W, then north on Interstate 5 toward Drain or Cottage Grove. Westbound traffic will follow the same route in the opposite direction. Emergency response vehicles will be allowed through the tunnel at all times. Daytime motorists should expect single-lane closures with brief delays. Flaggers will provide traffic control as needed. The Elk Creek Tunnel, located three miles east of Elkton, was built in 1932 and a partial liner was installed during the 1990s. It is the only highway tunnel in Oregon that is not fully lined. Prime contractor Legacy Construction will replace several concrete slabs on the road surface and make other repairs as part of the $1.4 million project.
