UPDATE: Ground movement delays U.S. 101 repairs near Brookings, March 4

ODOT report – BROOKINGS — U.S. 101 will likely remain closed near Brookings a few more days. ODOT and Tidewater Contractors have mobilized equipment and are standing ready to rebuild a quarter mile of U.S. 101 after a slide near Hooskanaden Creek closed the highway 12 miles north of Brookings on Monday. Earlier in the week, the ground had been moving more than 2 feet an hour, resulting in enormous cracks in the road surface and a 10-foot dropoff. As the weather has improved, the ground movement has decreased to about 11 inches an hour by Thursday afternoon. As soon as the movement slows to 3 inches an hour, ODOT and Tidewater will begin pouring rock and rebuilding the roadway to get at least a single lane open. Meanwhile, Tidewater is addressing a related problem uphill from the highway. The initial slide blocked the natural path of a creek on the hillside, shifting the runoff into the middle of the slide and causing the ground to become saturated and less stable. Tidewater is currently working on the hillside to reestablish the original channel and direct water away from the slide. While the highway is closed, motorists are advised to use alternate routes.