East of Eugene, Highway 58 from Lowell to Oakridge remains closed to regular traffic today (Wednesday).
ODOT spokesman Lou Torres says it wasn’t until Tuesday they were able to get a lifeline route open for utility crews and emergency vehicles.
Torres: “We figure we’ve already removed 250-300 trees that were blocking the road.”
He says crews have been working around the clock to clear the highway.
Torres: “We’ve had to escort emergency services that have had to go up there including the Red Cross and others that are trying to make it into the community to help them. We’ve had to escort them because it’s still unsafe because there are trees still coming down.”
Torres says there’s no estimate for when Highway 58 will reopen. In addition, he says drivers should be prepared for continued icy conditions, because of freezing temperatures overnight.