Portion of Smith River Road Closed for Construction, Aug. 9

COOS BAY, Ore. – A section of Smith River Road, northeast of Reedsport, Oregon, will be closed starting August 9 while crews replace a culvert. The closure is located at milepost 36.5 on Smith River Road, between Weatherly Creek Road and South Sisters Access Road. The work is expected to take three to four weeks to complete. Routes around the closure are available on Wells Creek-Vincent Creek Road and Weatherly-Big Creek Road. The popular Smith River Road-South Sister Road route that travels from Reedsport to Highway 126 near Veneta will remain open during construction. The project includes removing and replacing a damaged and under-sized culvert. The culvert replacement will prevent future road damage and improve fish passage in Rock Creek. After the culvert is replaced, 1.3 miles of the stream will be opened for Coho Salmon, steelhead, and other fish. A map of the area with the alternate routes highlighted is available at www.blm.gov/office/coos-bay-district-office under the “Latest News” section. For additional information, please call (541) 756-0100.