In it for the long haul…
Highway 126 about ten miles east of Mapleton remains closed in both directions, and will stay that way until at least tomorrow. A slide at milepost 24 has blocked both lanes of traffic and as of midday, the slide was still considered ‘active’. That means, says Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Rick Little that it is still moving and it is unsafe for crews to begin clearing it away.
Little says they are monitoring the slide and a geologist will evaluate it sometime late this afternoon or evening. He estimates it will be at least tomorrow before the roadway can be opened to travel, but he said, it would be impossible to put a specific time when it travel can resume.
Until then, he said, ODOT is routing all traffic between Mapleton and the Willamette Valley through Highway 36 between Junction City and Mapleton.
ODOT recommends going to Trip Check.Com for the latest road information.