Travelers on U.S. Highway 26 between the Warm Springs area and Mount Hood should plan for significant delays through June 15 as crews remove approximately 1,000 hazardous trees along a roughly 16-mile stretch of the corridor.
What's Happening
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), working in coordination with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, is conducting hazard tree removal along Highway 26 between mileposts 71 and 87 — from the Oregon Route 216 junction through the Warm Springs area.
The work is taking place Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Flaggers are stopping traffic in both directions. ODOT warns that delays of 20 minutes or more are likely. In some cases, felled trees may land directly on the roadway, requiring heavy equipment to clear before traffic can proceed.
Why It's Being Done
ODOT says the project is necessary to prevent deadly crashes caused by falling trees. Multiple incidents along this corridor in recent years have highlighted the danger posed by dead and dying trees adjacent to the highway. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, whose land borders much of this stretch of Highway 26, are partnering with ODOT on the removal effort.
Tips for Travelers
- Allow extra time — 20 to 30 minutes of delay is possible during work hours
- Work occurs Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Check TripCheck.com or call 511 for real-time road conditions before heading out
- Consider alternate routes if your schedule is time-sensitive
The project is scheduled to wrap up by June 15. Once complete, the corridor should be significantly safer for the heavy summer traffic volumes that Highway 26 typically sees on weekends through the summer months.
For those commuting between Madras and the Portland metro area, this work will affect the trip over Mount Hood. Plan accordingly for the next two weeks.