Oregon's Department of Transportation said it completed proactive repairs at three highway locations where shifting ground continuously deforms road surfaces as the state heads into its rainy season.
ODOT crews ground down uneven pavement on U.S. 101 north of Newport between mileposts 133 and 136 to create smoother surfaces. Several active landslides exist in this stretch near Beverly Beach State Park. The agency also smoothed uneven pavement at the Murphy Hill sink on OR 18 at milepost 17. Neither location required repaving.
At a third trouble spot, the U.S. 26 "bump" near milepost 13, ODOT tried a new approach to manage groundwater through an active landslide zone. Crews installed six dry wells, each 10 to 15 feet deep, to collect water and direct it into existing drainpipes. The wells are lined with fabric to filter silt and filled with rock and gravel to allow water to flow more easily toward the pipes. The surface was then paved with cold mix asphalt, which remains flexible as the ground shifts.
Repairing the pavement does not stop the ground beneath it from moving. Smoothing uneven surfaces and improving drainage help manage the effects of that movement and keep roads open. ODOT monitors the three locations multiple times daily during heavy rain because conditions can change quickly.
Annual maintenance at the U.S. 26 site alone costs about $200,000. A permanent fix would cost millions of dollars and might not eliminate future movement in the ancient landslide beneath the highway. ODOT said it currently has no funding to permanently address these three locations.