Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 23 the Oregon Department of Transportation’s contractor will begin a pavement upgrade project along Interstate 84 in the Pendleton area.
The project will run from mile posts 203.6 near Exit 203 to mile post 217.8 near Exit 216, adjacent to Wildhorse Resort. Work will include repaving the eastbound and westbound freeway slow lanes and interchanges at exits 207, 209, 210, and 216, resulting in the intermittent, temporary closures of on and off ramps over the next several weeks.
All ramps will be repaved at exits 207, 209 and 210. Only the westbound off ramp will be repaved at Exit 216. No paving activities are planned for Exit 213 freeway ramps. Travelers can expect temporary interchange on and off ramp closures, plus lane closures, reduced speed and minor delays along I-84 through the 13-mile-long project area. Most of the work will be performed at night to reduce traffic impacts.
Crews will typically work between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, with project completion anticipated around the end of September. Ramp closure times will be limited to between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. No work will be performed during Round-Up week, Sept. 10-18.
Ramp closures will be staggered to provide access on or off the freeway at adjacent interchanges, with variable message reader boards posted to warn motorists about ramp closures and the need to use alternate routes. Interchange ramps will receive a pavement overlay and the freeway slow lanes will have old pavement ground out with new asphalt applied (grind/inlay). Pavement restriping of painted lines will occur after all the paving work is completed.
“We realize the closure of freeway ramps can be frustrating to motorists and are limiting the closure times to between late evening and early morning to minimize impacts,” said ODOT Project Manager Mike Remily. “We’ll work to get the ramps open as soon as possible and appreciate everyone’s patience as our contractors improve pavement conditions throughout the area.”
