Great American Outdoors Act pays off
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Great American Outdoors Act is providing funds to complete three projects on the Umatilla National Forest. Two trail bridges are being replaced and a chip seal procedure for 33 miles of the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway has already begin.
Public Information Officer Darcy Weseman had just received word that there was enough funding to replace the 150-foot long Burnt Cabin Trail Bridge. It was in deteriorated condition when it was closed in 2017. Then came the 2020 floods.
“After the flood came through, we actually removed the bridge,” she said. “There is no bridge there. That water can get pretty high. It’s not very safe to try and ford.”
She said the Crooked Creek Trail Bridge that was destroyed by fire in 2015 will also be replaced. Work on both bridges begins in 2022.
Another project funded by the act has already begun. It is chip sealing 33 miles of the Blue Mountain Scenic Byway. That’s a 145-mile route that runs from Arlington through the forest all the way over to Granite.
“We received funding for about 33 miles of that road to be chip sealed this year from about five miles south of Ukiah over to where the road intersects with the 51 Road.” While that work was started this year, the weather turned and Weseman says it will be completed in the spring.
