Travel restricted over Hells Canyon Dam August 20-21
By Joe Hathaway on Monday, August 19th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER COUNTY — Travel across Hells Canyon Dam will be restricted on Aug. 20 and 21 as Idaho Power crews conduct maintenance work involving a crane.
On Tuesday, Aug. 20, the road will be entirely closed to vehicle traffic from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1:00pm to 4:30pm. Mountain Time. During these hours, only pedestrians will be allowed to cross, and only when deemed safe by Idaho Power crews. The road will briefly reopen to vehicle traffic from noon to 1:00pm.
On Wednesday, Aug. 21, one lane will be open, but drivers should expect delays of up to 30 minutes. Traffic flaggers will be present to manage the flow of vehicles. Travelers heading to the U.S. Forest Service visitors center or the boat launch area below the dam should plan accordingly to avoid the scheduled closures.
The maintenance work involves moving stop logs, large beams used to control water flow through the dam. This work was initially scheduled for earlier in the month but was postponed. Idaho Power will post any further schedule changes on their website at idahopower.com/whatsopen.
