Slide repairs on Oregon Highway 6 to begin on Monday

Emergency slide repairs on Highway 6 about six miles east of Tillamook will begin on Monday, March 28 with excavation activities and one-lane closures with flaggers. The initial Phase I work around mileposts 6 to 6.5 will continue until April 15.

The area was severely impacted by heavy rains on January 16-17 that caused at least one major slide, other smaller slides and some damage to a wall on Highway 6 also known as the Wilson River Highway. The road was closed for two days as Oregon Department of Transportation crews cleaned up the muddy dirt and debris.

The work that begins on Monday is Phase I of the project. The first phase will include mostly excavation work to prepare the slopes for large rock that will be brought in to blanket the slopes. Phase II will begin later in May and will continue through much of the summer.

Starting on Monday, motorists can expect some delays as traffic is limited to one lane with flaggers during the day and possibly on some weekends as well.

The total cost of the emergency repairs on Highway 6 will be about $2.5 million. Federal Highway Adminstration (FHWA) emergency road repair funds will cover most of the costs.

“The excavation work that begins on Monday will eventually stop the flow of mud across the highway that we have been cleaning up periodically since the slide,” said Brad Grimm, Assistant District Manager. “It will also prepare the area for the major blanket of rock that will help to stabilize the slope.”