A section of U.S. Highway 101 is closed in Southwest Oregon after a landslide early Monday morning caused the road to sink.
A nearly 200-yard section of the highway has dropped as much as 12 feet in some spots. The closure is just south of Port Orford, Oregon, between Bandon and Gold Beach. Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Matt Noble said Tuesday it was not yet clear when the road would reopen.
“Our geotechnical engineers are taking measurements of the affected area to see if the landslide has slowed down to a point where we can start work on a temporary road through the affected area,” Noble said. “But with more rain in the forecast this week, that may destabilize the slope even more, which could cause the slide to speed up again. So it’s still too early to estimate a reopening.”
Travelers going that way will need to find alternate routes. Those headed south will likely have to take Oregon Highway 42 at Southport to Interstate 5, and then U.S. Highway 199 back to Highway 101. The detour will add several hours to the trip. Those headed north would take Highway 199 to I-5 to Highway 42.
“We know that is a huge inconvenience for folks,” Noble said, “but the slide is in a remote stretch of U.S. 101 and there is no viable local detour.”
He said a contractor is at the scene of the closure with heavy equipment, bringing in rock and staging it at both ends of the landslide.
“So as soon as we get the OK from our engineers that it’s safe, they can quickly get to work on a temporary road through the affected area,” Noble said.
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