UPDATE: HWY 101 BACK OPEN! After S. Oregon Coast Highway Closure Near Bandon Sept 19 - 21

Published 08/13/25 at 6:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Bandon, Oregon) – A major traffic headache is coming to one part of the south Oregon coast in September, adding hundreds of miles to the journey in some cases. (All photos ODOT)

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) revealed more about the closure coming to U.S. 101 (Oregon Coast Highway) between Bandon and Port Orford. It happens September 19 – 21 as crews work to replace a failing culvert located deep beneath the highway in challenging terrain.

It only happens one weekend: the closure will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, September 19, and continue through late Sunday night, September 21. The work zone is located near Bearhead Mountain Lane, approximately six miles south of Bandon.

There are no local roads that bypass the work zone. The only available detour requires a lengthy drive via U.S. 199 (Redwood Highway), Interstate 5, and Oregon 42 (Coos Bay - Roseburg Highway).

During the closure, contractors will excavate more than 20 feet below the highway to remove the damaged pipe and install a larger culvert. The site is bordered by steep slopes on one side, wetlands on the other, and a stream running through the middle, making construction especially complex.

"The two-foot-diameter pipe is about 20 feet below the road surface," ODOT said. "It failed during a high-water event in December 2024 and required emergency repairs. The culvert is still at risk of failure, which could compromise the roadway above."

ODOT typically aims to keep highways open during construction, but doing so in this case would require building a temporary bypass through sensitive terrain. That approach would significantly increase costs and extend traffic disruptions for up to six months.

Oregon Coast Road, Traffic Conditions, Updates find live road issues - Portland, Oregon Highway Traffic, Road Conditions - Traffic Cams: I-5 - I-205 - I-405 - Hwy 217 - I-84

Instead, the agency has opted for a rapid replacement strategy that will reduce overall traffic impacts and save more than $1 million. The full construction window in this part of the south Oregon coast is expected to last four to six weeks, including two to three weeks of single-lane closures before and after the weekend shutdown.

“At ODOT, we understand that highway closures can affect communities near and far, so we scheduled this closure outside the summer travel season,” ODOT said. “While this will be a quiet weekend in many coastal communities, there are still several events planned for the weekend of Sept. 20-21 in nearby Coos Bay.”

- Bay Area Fun Festival – A lively celebration featuring music, food, a parade, and dozens of vendors.

- Prefontaine Memorial Run – A 5K race drawing more than 20 high school teams, including international participants from New Zealand.

- Cruz the Coos – The largest vintage car cruise on the Oregon Coast, showcasing over 500 classic vehicles.

Travelers heading to Coos Bay should plan ahead and allow extra time. For current road conditions, visit TripCheck.com. For local event details, see Oregon’s Adventure Coast.

For more information about the highway project, contact ODOT Public Information Officer Dan Latham at 541-817-5200 or Dan.Latham@odot.oregon.gov.

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