PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Oregon Department of Transportation says they have closed I-84 in the Gorge before conditions become unsafe.
“We close the gorge when conditions are unsafe, and we will keep it closed until we can get the roads safe again. When we get a lot of ice in the gorge, even when it starts to warm up, we've gotta get the ice broken up and off the road again. So even when conditions warm up a little bit, we've gotta be able to make sure the road is safe again, make sure that ice is off the road, before we can get the road open again,” says ODOT’s Don Hamilton.
The National Weather Service in Portland says that the Gorge could see freezing rain accumulated around a half an inch. Winds will also be raging with gusts up to 55 mph in some locations.
“Any time we close the gorge, it's because there's very dangerous conditions on that road. And when we get ice in the gorge, it can be very, very treacherous. We gotta make sure that nobody's driving there too when it gets icy,” Hamilton adds.
Forecasters say the freezing rain and bad travel conditions could exist into Wednesday.
Hamilton says ODOT closes the highway at Troutdale because it offers travelers a location to wait out the weather. “We close the highway from Troutdale to Hood River because Troutdale is safe. There's parking, there's places to rest, hotels, restaurants, and everybody can stay safe until we can get the roads open again.”
ODOT recommends that travelers just remain off the road to allow their crews the room they need to work.
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January 17, 2024 at 05:17AM
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ODOT closes I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge - KATU
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