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One Central Oregon Coast Road Opens, Another Closes

Published 01/23/2012

Photo courtesy ODOT: the slide just south of Newport

(Newport, Oregon) – Some locals will be inconvenienced by a road closure on the backside of Yaquina Bay, while two-lane traffic will be returning to a spot just of the central Oregon coast town.

Last week, during the heavy winds and rain of some major storms, a landslide took away a chunk of Highway 101 just south of Newport, near the airport. The road has been down to one-lane traffic during this time.

A contractor for ODOT has begun paving that section of U.S. 101, four-and-a-half miles south of Newport, after some rebuilding of the highway foundation

“Two-way traffic is expected to resume at the site by early tonight,” ODOT said in a press release on Monday. “In the meantime, a single lane of travel at milepost 144.5 will remain under the control of flaggers.”

A local company worked quickly on rebuilding the highway and accomplished much in a short time. Two days of construction involved a stabilization of the landslide area, clearing a creek bed and culvert, and excavating and rebuilding the highway foundation down to a depth of 45 feet and a length of 80 feet.

“The contractor will spend today finishing construction of a rock base; saw cutting the adjacent asphalt; and paving a 15 x 180-foot section that includes a smooth transition between the new and existing roadway,” ODOT said.

Weather conditions will prevent final striping of the highway but reflectors will be placed along the fog line and center line. Until final striping can occur, motorists are asked use caution while traveling through the area.

Though not on the main thoroughfare for visitors, part of the road going around Yaquina Bay is closed off by a slide. A few miles inland, Yaquina Bay Road is closed completely, starting about a quarter mile east of John Nye Road, and extending 200 yards beyond.

Backside of the bay

This road will be blocked until further notice.

“No homes or home access is affected or blocked inside the slide area,” said Lincoln County officials in a press release.

County officials said traffic can still use John Nye Road, which stretches between Highway 20 and this back end of Yaquina Bay.

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