Construction has kicked off for an emergency culvert replacement on Oregon 42, spurred by damage sustained from a rainstorm and flood on March 15. The compromised culvert is located near Tenmile at Shields Creek, about nine miles from Winston, which effectively forced the highway down to a single lane.
Initially, ODOT teams, after spotting some minor erosion, ended up uncovering a larger issue – the culvert had cracked into three segments. A gap spawned from the breakage had washed away the soil and rock under the westbound lane, leading to a sizable hole, according to the announcement by ODOT.
In response to the damage, ODOT hastily filled the hole with rock as a temporary band-aid before embarking on a permanent solution. Overcoming the challenges of the site's geography, which includes a creek channel dropping six feet below the highway, planners have resolved to a new culvert design that surpasses the original in both size and function.
Designed to weather high-water events, the nine-foot diameter pipe also intends to cater to fish passage requirements. Affected utility lines, revealed due to the erosion, are being rerouted under the new installation. Managing traffic through the single lane bypass while dealing with excavation made it easy for JRT Construction LLC to secure the $614,278.50 contract for the new culvert's installation. As outlined by ODOT Public Information Officer Dan Latham, delays, albeit brief, will be managed by flaggers on-site during the process.
Located in the nearby town of Oakland, JRT Construction LLC aims to wrap up the project by the Memorial Day weekend. This tight schedule is indicative of the urgency of the situation and the commitment to restore full functionality to this stretch of Oregon 42.
