Why We Can't Just Close Highways for Storms
If we can close Interstate 5 for snow on the Siskiyou Pass in southern Oregon, why can’t we close highways in Portland and other cities when there is a severe storm?
Even with a dire weather forecast or during a severe storm, our ability to close highways is limited to small sections, such as a mountain pass, a crash site or around a landslide. The number of highway entry points in an urban area vastly outnumbers those on a mountain pass. A single road crew can close one access to a section of highway, but we would need dozens of crews to staff on ramps in and around a city just to close part of a single highway.
At lower elevations, where most Oregon residents live and travel, we focus our road crews on preparing for storms with deicer and sand, as well as responding to emergencies and plowing major highways. Our priority is to keep Oregon moving safely for travelers, freight, agriculture, emergency services, pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities, and everyone who depends on transportation for their livelihoods.
With a severe forecast, we recommend that the safest option for travelers is to reschedule their trip. Another difference between a city and a mountain pass is that snow is a certainty at higher elevations in Oregon. Locations like the Siskiyou Pass on Interstate 5 near the California border need full-time crews to keep I-5 open as much as possible every winter. Temporary holds, in which traffic is stopped for 30-60 minutes, can help crews on the Siskiyou Pass catch up or get ahead of snowfall — and prevent people getting stuck in the first place.
Know before you go
Visit TripCheck.com, Oregon’s travel information website, for up-to-the-minute road conditions and more information on Oregon’s chain law and chain requirements. You can also get the latest road conditions by calling 511.