ODOT Warns of Major Delays as Dual U.S. 26 Projects Begin Near Warm Springs and Government Camp

Starting today, the Oregon Department of Transportation is launching two major maintenance projects on U.S. 26 that will trigger significant delays. Between the OR 216 junction and Warm Springs (mileposts 71 to 87), crews are teaming up with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to remove roughly 1,000 dead or dying trees. The work is scheduled to occur Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Flaggers will stop traffic in both directions. ODOT warns that delays could be lengthy. Some trees may fall directly onto the highway, requiring heavy equipment to clear the debris before traffic can move again. This work is expected to last through mid-June.

Further west, crews will be busy repairing winter landslide damage about two miles outside of Government Camp. Starting today, this work will happen daily from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane for a three-mile stretch between Zigzag and Government Camp. Crews will be blasting large boulders and repairing guardrails. Flaggers will be guiding both eastbound and westbound traffic through that single open lane.

ODOT reminds drivers that all work is weather dependent, so schedules could shift if the spring storms return. Keep an eye on those portable message signs, watch for workers, and—if you can—try to use an alternate route or travel outside of those peak work windows. For the latest updates on road conditions, you can always check TripCheck.com.