Motorists traveling on Interstate 84 between Perry, five miles west of La Grande, and Baker City may encounter traffic delays during the morning of April 8. A rolling slowdown is planned for 10 a.m. along a 24 mile stretch of freeway between mile points 256 and 304. During the traffic control operation pilot cars will slow all vehicles on the freeway down to 35 miles per hour between mile points 256 and 280 for eastbound traffic, and between mile points 304 and 280 for westbound traffic. A dozen freeway on-ramps will also be impacted during the rolling slowdown, which is needed to facilitate an Oregon Trail Electrical Co-op (OTEC) project to install a power line over the freeway near mile point 280. Motorists are advised to plan for extra travel time during this period.

"The temporarily reduced travel speeds will create a 15-minute window of time at the work site where there will be no vehicles on the freeway," said ODOT Public Information Officer Tom Strandberg. "This is a safety precaution to protect the traveling public and OTEC workers who will be installing electrical cables over the freeway."

In addition to reduced travel speeds eight eastbound and five westbound freeway on-ramps will be closed until pilot cars have moved past them. Eastbound on-ramps impacted include exits 259, 261, 265, 268, 269, 270, 273 and 278. Westbound on-ramps impacted include exits 304, 302, 298, 295, and 285. Freeway off-ramps will not be impacted.

"If you are at one of these interstate on-ramps during the rolling slowdown, or on the freeway behind the pilot cars please be patient," said Strandberg. "We will have traffic moving normally as soon as possible."