Weekend closures of The Dalles Bridge begin Thursday

By Terry Murry on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

THE DALLES – The Oregon Department of Transportation will begin weekend closures of The Dalles Bridge starting Thursday and continuing every weekend until Memorial Day 2022. The span will close to traffic at 8 p.m. Thursdays and reopen at 6 a.m. Monday.

ODOT says the full weekend closures are needed to facilitate a bridge deck replacement project that will provide a smoother, safer ride for those traveling between Oregon and Washington. Motorists will need to use the Biggs Junction Bridge during the closure times.

The department states it considered various closure options, including one that would have meant a closure for six months or more.

“After talking with and receiving input from many stakeholders, including law enforcement and emergency service providers, it was decided the weekend closures would have the least impact on bridge users,” ODOT states in a news release.

ODOT has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow emergency vehicles to cross the dam at The Dalles when the bridge is closed and impassable.

Photo via WikiMedia