Be Aware! Both lanes of Highway 20 Now Open

However, be prepared for up to 20 minute delays through October while crews finish a highway widening and re-alignment project.

Salem-News.com

(EDDYVILLE) - Both lanes of Highway 20, about two miles east of Eddyville, reopened late Tuesday following the removal of boulders and other debris that landed on the road Monday afternoon during a rock-blasting project that went awry.

Yaquina River Constructors, the general contractor for the $130 million highway improvement project, expected the 3:30 p.m. blast to crack a rock face that would then be excavated. Instead, the blast fractured the entire rock face on the north side of the highway and sent debris on to the road. There were no injuries. The contractor started blasting activities in late August.

Workers reopened one lane of the highway at 7:00 PM, and flaggers escorted traffic through the work zone.

The contractor finished removing all debris from the highway at about 12:30 AM Tuesday.

Later Tuesday morning, a subcontractor began repaving portions of the damaged highway. Most damage occurred in the westbound lane.

Throughout the summer, flaggers escorted one lane of traffic through the east end of the work zone between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, with delays averaging 20 minutes.

That one-lane traffic will continue through October.

Both lanes of the highway will remain open after 5:00 PM and before 7:00 AM on weekdays, and all day on weekends.

The U.S. 20: Pioneer Mountain-Eddyville project, between Corvallis and Newport, includes widening and realigning the highway.

The new alignment will build 8 new miles of highway and include passing lanes.