Big problems on U.S. Route 101 near Brookings

(MARCH 2, 2019) U.S. Route 101 is a highway along the Oregon Coast. It goes all the way from the state's northern border with Washington to the state's southern border with California. It is a popular road because travelers have a lot to see. It is almost always near the Pacific Ocean.

However, a problem began last Monday. Heavy rains caused a landslide. According the the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a landslide is a movement of rock or earth down a slope. The damaged road is about 20 miles north of the city of Brookings. The landslide is almost 1/4 mile long.

Now there is a detour. Traffic must drive around the landslide. The traffic uses Carpenterville Highway. This road is long and narrow. There are many steep hills.

The state wants to fix U.S. Route 101, but workers must wait for better weather. First they will use gravel. That will allow some traffic. But the state must pave the road with asphalt before big trucks can return. The state does not know when that will happen.