Short I-84 rolling slowdowns near La Grande

Published 5:50 am Friday, July 26, 2013

LA?GRANDE Oregon Department of Transportation contractors will slow westbound traffic on Interstate 84 in the La Grande area on July 29 between 9 and 10 a.m., using pilot cars to reduce freeway traffic speeds to 30 miles-per-hour and temporarily close the Exit 259, 261 and 265 westbound freeway on ramps.

The ramps will open once slowed traffic has passed. The eastbound lanes will not be impacted by these procedures.

The slow downs will allow workers to safely remove large rocks from the area. Motorists are advised to plan extra travel time and expect delays of around 10 minutes during the slowdown operations.

The construction is part of the $46.8 million I-84 Kamela to 2nd Street Project being built by prime contractor Oregon Mainline Paving. The project will resurface the eastbound and westbound freeway between mile post 246 near the Kamela Exit and mile post 260 near the 2nd Street freeway overcrossing in La Grande.

The three-year project, started this spring, will also upgrade concrete median barriers, construct bridge repairs, perform rock fall corrections, upgrade truck chain-up areas and construct a new, third westbound travel lane for trucks climbing the steep Spring Creek grade near mile post 247.