08/13/2025
Sharing so all our rv friends don’t get caught in that road closure ❤️
U.S. 101 (Oregon Coast Highway) will be closed between Bandon and Port Orford for one weekend in late September to replace a culvert deep under the highway in difficult terrain.
The work zone is located at Bearhead Mountain Lane, about six miles south of Bandon. The closure of U.S. 101 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, and the highway is expected to reopen late Sunday night, Sept. 21.
There are no local road connections around the work zone. The only available detour is a lengthy drive along U.S. 199 (Redwood Highway), Interstate 5 and Oregon 42 (Coos Bay-Roseburg Highway).
While the highway is closed, contractors will dig down more than 20 feet to remove the failing pipe and install a larger culvert. The work zone is sandwiched between a steep slope on one side of the highway, wetlands on the other and a stream that snakes its way in between.
In most circumstances, ODOT attempts to stage projects in a way that keeps highways open to all traffic at all times. However, that would require a single-lane bypass to be constructed either through a hillside or over wetlands, relocating the stream while adding more cost to the project and disrupting highway traffic for about six months.
The total construction window for this project will likely extend about 4-6 weeks, with about 2-3 weeks of single-lane closures before and after the weekend full closure of the highway.
The rapid replacement approach is expected to save more than $1 million from the total cost of the project while reducing overall traffic impacts.
For more information, visit the project website (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project=M25032) or contact ODOT Public Information Office Dan Latham at 541-817-5200 or [email protected].
Local events in Coos Bay
At ODOT, we understand that highway closures can affect communities near and far, so we scheduled this closure outside the summer travel season. While this will be a quiet weekend in many coastal communities, there are still several events planned for the weekend of Sept. 20-21 in nearby Coos Bay.
• The Bay Area Fun Festival, a celebration of Coos Bay that offers music, food, a parade and dozens of vendors. https://coosbaydowntown.com/bay-area-fun-festival/
• The Prefontaine Memorial Run, which includes more than 20 high schools participating in this year’s 5K race, including runners from as far away as New Zealand. https://prefontainerun.net/
• Cruz the Coos, the largest car cruise on the Oregon coast featuring more than 500 vintage automobiles. https://cruzthecoos.com/
It may take a little longer to reach Coos Bay, so plan ahead and factor in extra time for your trip. Visit www.TripCheck.com for the latest road conditions. For more information on local events, visit Oregon's Adventure Coast: Coos Bay, North Bend, Charleston.
