The Dalles Bridge Update: Weekend Closures to End Soon
Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
By Cole Goodwin
The renovation project on The Dalles Bridge over the Columbia River is nearing its completion.
ODOT has announced that full weekend closures, which extended into the winter months due to falling behind schedule, are expected to end by the end of February 2023, pending any winter weather delays.
Although the full weekend closures will soon come to an end, construction will continue until the end of April. During this time, two consecutive weekends in April will require nighttime only closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
"These two weekends with nighttime only closures are needed to place a smooth, continuous concrete surface over the entire length of the bridge," reads the ODOT website. The dates for these two April weekends will be announced later this spring.
As of now, however, the $41 million project to remove and replace the existing bridge deck which began in 2021 is still ongoing. The bridge is still closed on Thursday nights from 8 p.m. through Monday mornings at 6 a.m. During these closures, commuters can detour through Biggs Junction, or Hood River bridge.
“Without these closures, there is no other way for crews to complete the complex deck replacement. These continued closures ensure that the bridge won't be entirely shut down for an extended period of time,” reads the ODOT website.
Emergency responders, such as police, fire, and EMS, will continue to have access to the road on the dam for emergency purposes across the river.
For up-to-date information on construction, closures, and detours, please visit TripCheck.com.
