Workers at risk and pavement damaged as drivers regularly ignore La Grande roadwork closures
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
LA GRANDE – Roadwork and detours, be they on federal highways or local streets, can be inconvenient. That said, needing to save a few minutes during a commute is not generally treated as legal grounds to drive around road barriers and through active construction zones. Unfortunately, some La Grande drivers have reportedly been doing just that on the regular.
According to testimony from La Grande Public Works Director Kyle Carpenter at a city council meeting last week, crews reported drivers regularly bypassing the closure signs and both driving and parking in the work zone during the recent waterline work and street re-paving on 2nd Street near the La Grande High School. Some drivers reportedly went as far as driving and parking on fresh oil mats (including turning their tires while stopped), as well as pulling out in front of, or following behind, a paver that was actively working.
This heavy usage of the fresh road surface reportedly left visible tire marks, indentations, and other vehicle markings in the concrete and asphalt, making the surface susceptible to early decay and potholes. During the meeting, Carpenter noted that the actions of these drivers have likely shortened the lifespan on what was a $750,000-dollar public works project.
In a brief follow up interview, Carpenter confirmed that this isn’t the first time drivers have caused early damage by driving through fresh roadwork in the city. The ruts starting to form around the intersection of C Avenue and Gekeler Lane are likewise the result of some motorists driving on fresh oil mats despite the closure. While Carpenter fully admits that budgetary limitations is still the primary reason for the current condition of La Grande’s streets, needless damage during active road construction is not helping the situation.
In addition to the physical damage, Carpenter also noted that drivers bypassing road closures is a major safety concern for roadway workers. While the risk can never be fully removed, workers are generally not expecting regular traffic on sections of road that have otherwise been fully blocked off, increasing the risk of injury should someone drive through unexpectedly.
As such, Public Works and the city are looking into solutions to preserve the life of new street projects and the lives of the workers themselves. Some solutions casually pitched by city council members included increased ticketing efforts, traffic cameras to track license plates of offending vehicles or, somewhat jokingly, directional traffic spikes. At this time, nothing has official has been planned.
