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Main highways ready for more big rig traffic
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| H&N file photo Traffic has been forced to travel on a single lane on Highway 97 along Upper Klamath Lake. |
March 20, 2007
Orange-vested flaggers, road construction signs and an armada of paving, grading and other equipment won't be seen as often this spring and summer on major highways in Klamath and Lake counties.
But motorists hitting regional highways could see more 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rigs.
Highway 97 impacts
After several years of intense construction and bridge maintenance on Highways 97 and 140, the Oregon Department of Transportation is cutting back work this year in preparation for June 1. That's when commercial truckers will be urged to travel between Weed in northern California to Eugene by Highways 97 and 58 instead of Interstate 5.
“I'm expecting some impacts on Highway 97,” says Butch Hansen, ODOT's Southcentral Oregon's area manager.
“We don't know how many trucks are coming. We really don't know our impacts yet.”
The I-5 bridge project is expected to be completed in 2011.
Peter Murphy, ODOT's regional public information officer, says state ODOT officials don't believe the impact will be significant. This summer's only I-5 bridge project south of Eugene will be near Roseburg, where truckers have a local alternative.
Construction on Highway 97 will be light overall, but between now and early June road crews will finish up bridge work in the Modoc Point and Algoma areas and other work on Spring Creek Hill.
“We want to have this all done, all cleaned up by May 24,” Hansen said.
Work on the overpass at the Highway 97 and 58 junction, however, is just getting started.
ODOT officials will monitor truck traffic by different times of day through the summer so future Highway 97 projects can be done during slack periods, Murphy said. In late 2008, for example, ODOT crews are scheduled to finish widening portions of the highway on its west side.
Highway 140 will have some work this year, including a paving project between the intersection with Highway 66 near Stewart Lenox and Lakeshore Drive. On Highway 140 east, paving will be done west of Lakeview on a 10-mile stretch from Drews Gap to near the Lakeridge Golf Course.
In January 2008, work is scheduled on Highway 395 near the Chandler Wayside. A paving project on Highway 140 between Bly Mountain and Bly and streetscape work in Bly is planned for summer 2008.
Long-range projects include several on Highway 140, including realigning the Beatty curve east of Beatty, making continue curve corrections along Deep Creek near Adel and eventually, determining how to redesign the steep, dangerously exposed section at Daughtery Slide. Until improvements are made, length restrictions will continue to prevent large truck traffic between Klamath Falls and Lakeview and Lake and the Oregon-Nevada border.
- By Lee Juillerat
Orange-vested flaggers, road construction signs and an armada of paving, grading and other equipment won't be seen as often this spring and summer on major highways in Klamath and Lake counties.
But motorists hitting regional highways could see more 18-wheeler tractor-trailer rigs.
Highway 97 impacts
After several years of intense construction and bridge maintenance on Highways 97 and 140, the Oregon Department of Transportation is cutting back work this year in preparation for June 1. That's when commercial truckers will be urged to travel between Weed in northern California to Eugene by Highways 97 and 58 instead of Interstate 5.
“I'm expecting some impacts on Highway 97,” says Butch Hansen, ODOT's Southcentral Oregon's area manager.
“We don't know how many trucks are coming. We really don't know our impacts yet.”
The I-5 bridge project is expected to be completed in 2011.
Peter Murphy, ODOT's regional public information officer, says state ODOT officials don't believe the impact will be significant. This summer's only I-5 bridge project south of Eugene will be near Roseburg, where truckers have a local alternative.
Construction on Highway 97 will be light overall, but between now and early June road crews will finish up bridge work in the Modoc Point and Algoma areas and other work on Spring Creek Hill.
“We want to have this all done, all cleaned up by May 24,” Hansen said.
Work on the overpass at the Highway 97 and 58 junction, however, is just getting started.
ODOT officials will monitor truck traffic by different times of day through the summer so future Highway 97 projects can be done during slack periods, Murphy said. In late 2008, for example, ODOT crews are scheduled to finish widening portions of the highway on its west side.
Highway 140 will have some work this year, including a paving project between the intersection with Highway 66 near Stewart Lenox and Lakeshore Drive. On Highway 140 east, paving will be done west of Lakeview on a 10-mile stretch from Drews Gap to near the Lakeridge Golf Course.
In January 2008, work is scheduled on Highway 395 near the Chandler Wayside. A paving project on Highway 140 between Bly Mountain and Bly and streetscape work in Bly is planned for summer 2008.
Long-range projects include several on Highway 140, including realigning the Beatty curve east of Beatty, making continue curve corrections along Deep Creek near Adel and eventually, determining how to redesign the steep, dangerously exposed section at Daughtery Slide. Until improvements are made, length restrictions will continue to prevent large truck traffic between Klamath Falls and Lakeview and Lake and the Oregon-Nevada border.
- By Lee Juillerat
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leesa wrote on Jan 23, 2009 12:37 PM:
" these things should never happened in this world. the world should be safe. "
samantha r. wrote on Sep 23, 2008 12:12 PM:
" this article is So true when your a teen girl and your pregnant It seems to feel like your life is over and there is no way you can fix it but that's not true if your young and your going to have a child then stay focused in school your child wants you to succeed in life so he/she can succeed in life my name is Samantha R. I'm 14 years old i live in Klamath falls and i might be pregnant :] If so I'm determined to make sure my child has a better life then i did :] "
Babe wrote on Jan 23, 2008 6:54 PM:
" I think that chiloquin people do need help and not just the teens but i have also seen places that are alot worse i moved from L.A to chiloquin and ive been back there since and trust me chiloquin is nothing. I also think that crime and drugs etc. are noticed more because it is so small compared to other places and there is no form of disaplin at all "
Tony P. wrote on Jan 19, 2008 7:55 PM:
" I remember the night the plane went down.. My mother crying and my dad in tears.. his dad searched for him for years...
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Jane D. wrote on Apr 10, 2009 12:00 AM:
I Love You Bobby
May your soul Rest In Peace
-Deems "