Plan ahead if heading East

MCKENZIE BRIDGE: Work on Hwy. 126 planned between the Linn County line and the Old McKenzie Highway - also known as the Clear Lake Cutoff - will include both half-day and two-day closures, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The current schedule calls for half-day closures from August 1st through 8th, - Sunday through Thursday nights - from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. (with Fridays and Saturdays excluded). There will also be 44-hour closures from August 20th to the 22nd.

Officials say the section of the highway is in a snow zone where the current pavement is cracking and needs to be replaced. It has required applying patches more frequently to hold this section together. In addition, three bridges in this section also need to be resurfaced.

Design and construction costs for the project total $7.3 million.