TD Council accelerates utility project on Webber St.; 7-day work week aims to bring project to end 9 days early

Crestline Construction working at the Corner of First and Webber streets several weeks ago. New sewer lines and storm drains need to be installed in this section of Webber Street, which will close Webber for up to 3 months.

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., April 30, 2026 — The Dalles City Council voted unanimously tonight, April 30, to accelerate construction on the Westside Interceptor Phase 2 project, a move that will shorten the timeline but keep Webber Street fully closed for nearly two months — a decision that continues to weigh heavily on local businesses.

Business owners at the Port of The Dalles told city leaders on Monday, April 27, the ongoing Webber Street closure is already causing significant financial damage, with Bargeway Pub owner Steve Kane and operations manager Nolan Hare reporting a roughly 60% drop in revenue.

They warned that up to 30 local jobs could be at risk if access issues continue, emphasizing that the prolonged disruption is not just inconvenient but economically unsustainable for small businesses that rely on steady customer traffic.

Kane and Hare urged the city to keep Webber Street open to at least one-way traffic with flaggers during construction, arguing that without that accommodation, businesses are being forced to absorb the full economic impact of the project.

Hare acknowledged the added cost of flaggers but said the alternative unfairly shifts the burden onto local employers. City officials pushed back, stating that the next phase of underground utility work requires a full closure for safety and efficiency, and warned that delaying the shutdown could risk overlapping closures with Union Street — potentially cutting off two of the three main access points to the port.

Thursday night, council held a special session that began at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers and included an executive session lasting one hour and 21 minutes. When council returned to open session at 6:51 p.m., City Manager Matthew Klebes presented updated options to address mounting concerns about business access and detours tied to the Webber Street closure.

Klebes outlined five potential paths forward, ranging from making no changes to significantly altering construction sequencing. Among those options was increasing signage to better guide drivers through detours — a step already underway.

“Total cost for additional reader boards is approximately $9,728 and we should be able to deploy this additional signage within the next day or two,” Klebes said, noting the city is using available equipment and renting additional boards to improve communication.

The council ultimately chose to accelerate the project timeline rather than reopen Webber Street or introduce phased construction, both of which would have added weeks or months to the schedule and significantly increased costs.

Councilor Scott Randall made the motion:

City Attorney and councilor Scott Randall - fifth and sixth to the left - go over motion documents prior to the unanimous vote to move Crestline Construction to a 7-day work week.

“I’d like to make a motion to authorize the city manager to execute a written change order with Crestline Construction for a schedule acceleration on the Westside Interceptor Phase 2 project in an amount not to exceed $118,000, with any contract time adjustment not to exceed nine calendar days, subject to final approval by the city manager after city engineer and city attorney review, and if applicable, city engineer confirmation that any revised traffic control plan can be implemented safely.”

Councilor Dan Richardson seconded the motion, and it passed 5-0 without opposition.

The approved change will shift construction from a five-day to a seven-day work week, cutting nine days off the schedule.

Webber Street will remain closed in both directions from May 5 through June 26.

City officials said the decision reflects a balance between minimizing long-term disruption and maintaining safe, efficient construction progress.

In a written statement, Mayor Rich Mays said the city has been actively responding to concerns raised by businesses earlier in the week.

“City Council heard directly from businesses impacted by the Webber Street closure at Monday night’s City Council meeting, and those concerns were taken seriously,” Mays said. “This includes sourcing additional signage, evaluating and improving sign placement and messaging, and continuing to clarify detour routes to better direct customers and maintain access to businesses.”

Klebes emphasized that staff worked closely with the contractor to evaluate alternatives, including reopening the street with flaggers — an option that would have added approximately 50 days to the project timeline and conflicted with other planned construction near the Union Street underpass.

“City staff have been working closely with the contractor to identify solutions that maintain public safety while minimizing impacts to downtown businesses as this critical infrastructure work continues,” Klebes said in a written statement.

The accelerated schedule is intended to reopen Webber Street ahead of the Fourth of July, while also maintaining at least two access routes through the area for emergency services and general traffic.

Still, the extended full closure continues to present challenges for businesses that rely on direct access via Webber Street — a concern repeatedly raised during recent public comments.

City officials said additional signage and ongoing coordination with businesses will be key to helping customers navigate detours and maintain access during the closure.

Read CCCNew’s story about business opposition to Webber Street closure here.