Manzanita Updates: One Lane Open After N. Oregon Coast Bridge Collapse, Backups Remain

Published 8/30/24 at 12:05 a.m.
By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection

(Manzanita, Oregon) – A bridge just north of Manzanita was discovered to have a partial collapse on Thursday afternoon, causing north Oregon coast officials to close down the Necarney Creek Bridge near MP 39. The total closure caused major traffic issues and backups throughout the area. (Photos courtesy TCEM, Tillamook County Sheriff's and ODOT)

The latest: the bridge has reopened to one-lane traffic only. Flaggers are directing traffic, ODOT said.

“The single-lane flagging is likely to continue through the busy holiday travel weekend, so please plan extra time into your trip if you’re traveling on U.S. 101 on the northern Oregon coast,” ODOT said.

See Tripcheck.com for updates.

Tillamook County Emergency Management (TCEM) had to close down to the bridge for an emergency inspection after a section of guardrail and sidewalk had collapsed. Authorities needed to thoroughly inspect the bridge before allowing any traffic back in.

“A Tillamook resident alerted ODOT to the damage at about 4 p.m. Thursday after crossing the bridge,” ODOT said. “Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office deputies closed the lane next to the collapsed section immediately.”

In the meantime, the only other route between Cannon Beach and Manzanita is taking Highway 53., which begins in the Nehalem area and connects to Highway 26.

“We have no estimate of when repairs can be completed or when the affected lane can be reopened,” ODOT said. “We suspect that a vehicle struck the bridge sometime Thursday, but we aren’t aware of any witnesses or any reports of an incident or crash.”

It is near MP 39 in the Oswald West State Park Area, four miles north of Manzanita.

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Tillamook Coast Visitors Association called it “bad,” referring to the traffic situation around the north Oregon coast region.

TCEM urges those traveling to the Oregon coast to plan ahead. This may not end before the busy weekend.

“ If we flag traffic through a single lane this weekend, expect long delays,” TCEM said.

The Necarney Creek Bridge is a very tall one, reaching at least 100 feet down into the canyon of the Cape Falcon area. It was built in 1937, and the section of sidewalk that failed is a part of the original construction, TCEM said.

Tillamook County Sheriff's said to be cautious on OR 53: it is a very winding road and very difficult for large vehicles to navigate and has slower speed limits, so additional time should be considered for completion of your trip.

“I have asked Clatsop County Sheriff Phillips to cover emergency police calls within Tillamook County north of the bridge, and Tillamook Ambulance, and other emergency first responders, are aware of the situation and are prepared to respond to any emergency as necessary,” said Tillamook County Sheriff Josh Brown. MORE PHOTOS BELOW

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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