Travelers heading up or down Cabbage Hill along Interstate 84 east of Pendleton can expect lane closures in the westbound and eastbound lanes over the next few weeks.
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) officials said shoulder paving will begin today in the westbound lanes, then shift to the eastbound lanes in a week or two. Westbound traffic will be restricted to one lane from the top of the hill near mile post 225 to the bottom of the hill around milepost 218. As paving progresses up the hill, the work zone will be shortened. Similar lane restrictions will occur along the eastbound lanes after westbound shoulder resurfacing is completed.
Motorists are advised to slow down and be prepared for single lane travel in this area. Depending on weather conditions, this work is expected to be completed around mid-October.
According to ODOT, the paving will seal the area where power cables were installed earlier this summer under the freeway shoulders. Those wires will help provide electricity to a dozen digital message boards, freeway lighting and other enhancements that are part of our $15 million I-84 Snow Zone Safety Improvements Project. Along with the digital signs and lighting, the project includes new highway cameras, road sensors, curve warning signs, a new freeway ramp gate and other features that will improve safety, especially during the challenging winter season.
Construction and some lane closures will continue near the top of Cabbage Hill through October. The two-year project that started earlier this year will mostly shut down after October, then resume next spring. All work is expected to be completed by next fall.
