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| ODOT will open lower snow gate on McKenzie Pass Highway to allow access to Proxy Falls | ||
| 06/19/2008 | ||
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McKENZIEBRIDGE – ODOT will open the Highway 242 snow gate at White Branch at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 21, to allow public access to Proxy Falls, Alder Springs Campground and other Willamette National Forest attractions. The snow gate has been closed to the public since Nov. 1, 2007, when ODOT shut the highway for the winter. The White Branch gate, at milepoint 61.9, has remained closed due to a lingering, heavy snowpack and a safety project to replace two McKenzie Pass Highway bridges. The Alder Springs snow gate, at milepoint 65.9, will remain closed until the bridge project is completed. During the bridge replacement project, which will cost about $800,000, no vehicle or bicycle traffic will be allowed east past the Alder Springs snow gate for safety reasons. Officials hope to open the west side of the highway for traffic by Sept. 1. The project is a joint effort by the Willamette National Forest, ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration. Depending on the weather for the remainder of June and the rate of snow melt, ODOT plows could start clearing a path from the east snow gate near Sisters up to the Dee Wright Observatory sometime in July. Access to the Obsidian Trailhead and Scott Lake will depend on weather and the pace of snow melt. Before access is allowed, however, the U.S. Forest Service will be cutting “hazard” trees along the roadway, causing it to be closed even to bicyclists for a period of time. The hazard tree removal cannot begin until ODOT clears the highway and the snow drifts along the shoulders have melted. The bridge replacements that will take place this summer represent the second phase of a three-year, $3.8 million improvement project jointly administered by the FHWA, U.S. Forest Service and ODOT. During the summer of 2007, this included the improvement of Dead Horse Grade (at milepoint 69) to cut back the slope and realigned the highway, making the road more stable and safe for all users. The work in 2009, which marks the third and final phase, includes a 15.5-mile pavement overlay, culvert installation and shoulder stabilization. ##ODOT##
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