Expect 20-minute nighttime delays Sept. 26 and 27 on OR 86 to allow for oversized freight
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, September 19th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Release from ODOT) Motorists should expect nighttime delays of up to 20 minutes on Oregon Highway 86 (Baker-Copperfield Highway) Tuesday night Sept. 26, plus Wednesday night Sept. 27. The travel impacts could occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. the following morning to accommodate a 14-foot-8-inch-wide, 183-foot-long, and 427,752-pound load on the route. The freight consists of transformer equipment moving along the highway from Baker City to one of the dams on the Idaho side of the Snake River.
The travel dates and times may change depending on weather and other unforeseen conditions. Updated information will be posted on TripCheck.com during the move. Commuters should check the website before heading out.
The shipment will take most of the evening and early morning as it travels between 15 and 55 mph through Baker County, primarily on OR Highway 86. Motorists need to watch for pilot cars, flaggers, and traffic control crews. Plan extra travel time during this nighttime operation.
To evenly distribute the extreme weight of the shipment it may move down the center of the roadway at times, depending on road width, taking up both travel lanes. Traffic will be stopped at regular intervals with pilot cars informing the movers when to pull over to allow oncoming vehicles and backed up traffic to pass.
The oversized load will begin its journey at the west end of Baker City, traveling through town on 17th Street, Pocahontas Road, Hughes Lane, and Cedar Street before connecting to the Baker-Copperfield Highway (OR 86) and heading east through Richland and the Idaho border. The equipment will leave Oregon at Copperfield.
The empty transport trailer will return towards Interstate 84 during the evening of Sept. 27, which will result in traffic delays along OR 86.
The freight contains no hazardous materials, fuels, or liquids.
Interested parties can contact ODOT public information officers Tom Strandberg at 541-663-6261 (thomas.strandberg@odot.oregon.gov) or Mindy McCartt at 503-507-6045 (mindy.m.mccartt@odot.oregon.gov) with questions or comments.
