Morning, afternoon closures allow for road repair work; mid-day controlled traffic will be allowed
Rogue Valley Times staff
U.S. 199 — the main highway from the Rogue Valley to the Oregon Coast, also known as the Redwood Highway — will be closed in Del Norte County, California, from Grassy Flat Campground east of Gasquet to Oregon Mountain Road weekdays from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m., according to a news release from the California Department of Transportation.
The highway will open weekdays to one-way controlled traffic from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
U.S. 199 will also be open to one-way controlled traffic on weekends, and before 8 a.m. and after 4 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate up to one-hour delays during open hours, Caltrans said.
Crews will be working to repair fire-damaged areas along the highway due to the Smith River Complex, which was sparked by a massive lightning storm Aug. 15. Work along the highway includes removal of hazardous trees, repairing and replacing damaged guardrails and stabilizing slopes.
Closing the road twice daily will help crews focus on completing repairs needed to reopen the road before the rainy season begins, Caltrans said. Without these intermittent closures, it would likely take two to three times as long to complete repairs.
This plan is subject to change if there is a safety risk to the public or personnel, Caltrans noted.
Follow Caltrans District 1 on Facebook for more updates, and check quickmap.dot.ca.gov for the latest road conditions.
This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.