Travelers on U.S. Highway 26 between the Warm Springs area and Mount Hood should plan extra time on weekdays through June 15, as crews remove hazardous trees along a 16-mile stretch of the corridor.

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are jointly conducting the work between mileposts 71 and 87 — roughly from the OR 216 junction near the southern end of the reservation through the Warm Springs area. The project addresses dead and dying trees that could fall onto the roadway, a danger that ODOT says has contributed to multiple deadly incidents along this corridor in recent years.

What to Expect

  • When: Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Delays: 20 minutes or longer; some closures may be extended if trees fall directly onto the road
  • Flaggers: Automated flagger assistance devices will manage traffic flow in both directions
  • Weekends: No work scheduled — the highway will be clear Saturday and Sunday

ODOT public information officer Kacey Davey urged drivers to plan ahead, noting that while crews aim to limit closures to 20-minute windows, the road will remain closed until safety crews confirm it is clear. Some large trees that are leaning heavily must be dropped directly onto the pavement before they can be cut and removed, potentially extending individual closures.

Why It Matters

Highway 26 is the primary route connecting Jefferson County and the Warm Springs Reservation to the Portland metro area. For reservation residents without private transportation, this route is also critical for medical appointments, school, and employment. The newly launched Cascades East Transit Route 21 — which provides bus service to Simnasho and Kah-Nee-Ta — also uses portions of this highway.

The tree removal work is also a fire mitigation effort. Dead standing timber — known as snags — along roadsides poses both a collision risk and a potential ignition source during a wildfire. With Central Oregon already under summer burn restrictions and forecasters warning of a potentially severe 2026 fire season, removing fuel along heavily traveled corridors is a public safety priority.

Drivers can check current road conditions and delay updates at TripCheck.com before heading out.