The big Mt. Hood Safety Project on Highway 26 is shifting into high gear with three nights of rock-blasting per week, plus plenty of truck traffic hauling debris.

Fortunately, the bulk of the road work will take place on weekdays, with no work scheduled for Sundays.

Next week’s work will affect traffic flow on Hwy. 26, Lolo Pass Road, Trillium Lake Road, Road 31 and Laurel Hill Trail.

Here are some key construction details for Monday, May 18 to Friday, May 22 from the Oregon Department of Transportation:

Hwy. 26

24-hour flagging will occur on the west end of the project at Map Curve from 5 a.m. Monday to 10 a.m. Friday. Delays associated with the flagging should be minimal; however, it could last up to 20-minutes.

Starting at 10 a.m. Friday and until 5 a.m. Monday, U.S. 26 will have one lane open in each direction. The 24-hour flagging will allow the contractor to place a shipping container along the north side of U.S. 26 between the work on the steep slopes and traffic on the highway to prevent rocks from rolling into U.S. 26.

Travelers should expect up to one hour closure of U.S. 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday, May 18, Tuesday, May 19 and Thursday, May 21 for rock blasting. This is subject to change due to site conditions and work progress.

Monday through Friday during daylight hours, travelers will encounter traffic stops controlled by flaggers, and lane and shoulder closures from sunrise to sunset throughout the three-mile project area.

With the exception of 24-hour flagging, one lane will remain open in each direction for a nearly three-mile stretch of U.S. 26 from east of Kiwanis Camp Road to east of the Mirror Lake Curves. This lane closure will remain in place around-the-clock until October 31.

Lolo Pass

Thursday, May 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., flaggers will direct travelers in sections of a three mile stretch of Lolo Pass Road north of U.S. 26 for localized pavement repairs. This work is weather dependent and can be rescheduled.

Hauling will continue along Lolo Pass Road and take place Monday through Friday from sunrise to sunset. People in the area should use caution and expect truck traffic.

Trillium Lake Road

Hauling will continue along Trillium Lake Road and take place Monday through Friday from sunrise to sunset.

Road 31

Road 31 will be closed to all traffic around-the-clock Monday through Thursday.

Laurel Hill Trail

Trail closures as crews work on nearby slopes.

Work will continue through October, and resume next April after the peak snow season. Workers will pave Hwy. 26 from Silent Rock to OR 35, cut back the rock slope east of the runaway truck ramp, widen the highway to install a median barrier, build a retaining wall to protect nearby trails, and extend westbound passing lanes by 1,400 feet.

Last modified: May 15, 2015