Work started Sept. 8 on Interstate 84 in Hood River, where night-time closures will be the norm for two months or so, according to a press release from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
Crews did phase of the work this spring, and this fall they return to the span between exits 63 and 64 to complete the replacement of bridge decks over the Hood River. The decks on the interstate are the sections of freeway that serve as bridges, and are technically separate from the rest of the roadbed.
Travelers should expect:
Periodic nighttime ramp closures of exit 63 and exit 64 on- and off-ramps between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Nighttime lane closures on I-84 west.
An around-the-clock lane closure on I-84 east and travel lane shifts through November. Travelers should be alert and watch for traffic changes.
The schedule is subject to change and weather dependent.
Travelers may need to detour to State Street (Highway 30) and Button Bridge Road, of follow Cascade and Oak or State streets.
Also this month, ODOT will install a “variable message sign” about a mile west, between exits 62 and 63.
ODOT terms them “RealTime signs,” and they display traffic flow and roadway conditions, enabling drivers to make better-informed travel decisions, according to ODOT spokesman Don Hamilton. The new signs will assist in reducing crashes, improve travel time reliability, and enhance transit operations through the project area, according to Hamilton.
Traffic impacts
In mid-September, installation of the new sign and sign structure we require nighttime rolling slowdowns. Travelers should plan ahead and expect delays. Check Trip-Check.com for real-time traffic impacts.
Construction on the bridge decks began in March to repair and replace bridge decks on the structures carrying I-84 over Hood River (between Exit 63 and Exit 64). Repairing these aging structures will increase their lifespan, allow them to continue carrying I-84 traffic safely and smooth out the ride for travelers.
The bridge deck project includes replacing the bridge deck on the structure carrying eastbound I-84; repairing the bridge deck on the structure carrying westbound I-84; upgrading the lighting under I-84 on the slough trail.
Overall, the project continues through May 2021.
In between phases, traffic impacts will be minimized, but some work may still occur, said the press release.
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