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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2022
VOL. 131, NO. 33 Serving the Lower Columbia Region since 1891
Highway 30 landslide illustrates Oregon danger JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.
Work continues this week at the side of a massive landslide along Highway 30 just north of Clatskanie. “We expect to keep scaling rock into the holidays, and getting more lanes open is the goal, but we don’t have an estimated date for that,” Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) representative David House said. “There is so much work that it will continue even after lanes are open to traffic.” “This was a large landslide compared to other landslides that we get in the coast range,” ODOT District 1 Maintenance Manager Mark Buffington said. “The rock was definitely larger than what we are used to. We usually just get mud and trees.” ODOT opened one lane with flaggers at nights only Dec. 4-11 to allow rock scaling during the daytime. “We needed to remove large sections of rock on the verge of falling before it was safe for traffic or crews at the highway level,” the release states. Since Dec. 11, ODOT has been able to keep the flagged lane open 24/7 while scaling of smaller sections of loose rock continues above the highway. “We have been using two scaling crews instead of just one,” Buffington said. “The loose rock is much higher than the slides that we are used to having.”
There is so much work that it will continue even after lanes are open to traffic. ~ David House, ODOT
The event The highway has been open to a single flagged lane since early December following a massive landslide.
Courtesy from ODOT
The massive slide occurred Nov. 29 just north of Clatskanie along Highway 30.
The slide started at approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, about 100 feet above the
roadway, according to House. It was about 110-feet wide and sent at least 1,800 cubic yards of mostly rock onto the highway. Large road equipment has been brought to the site to move the debris from the roadway. Specially trained crews propelled down the side of the steep cliff to help remove rocks, trees and other debris to stabilize the hillside. The landslide was likely due to rain and strong winds on trees with roots deep in rocky hillside. “This section of US Highway 30 crosses an area where landslides have long been part of the geology,
often triggered by heavy rainfall,” ODOT stated earlier. “So, this part of the road has long had landslide warning signs.” Long-term fix House added that in general, there is no permanent way to prevent landslides. “Western Oregon is geologically active – it’s always on the move, gradually eroding toward the ocean, which moves the land and causes erosion and occasional landslides,” he said. “We adapt the highways as the land moves, and
the work we do buys more time between events.” Geologists with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral and Industries (DOGAMI) caution that landslides are most common in the following areas: • Canyon bottoms, stream channels, channel outlets • Steep slopes and bases of steep hillsides • Areas where slopes of hills
See LANDSLIDE Page A4
Council looks for long-term Fox Creek solution JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.
The Rainier City Council continues to look for short and longterm alternatives for the Fox Creek flooding challenges. During the December 5 city council meeting the Rainier Fox Creek Feasibility Study presentation was conducted. The following is a summary of the minutes concerning the presentation from the city council session. Creek history Sandrine Ganry from the Lake Oswego based water engineering firm West Yost said that parts of the culvert are owned by the city, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and private entities. The area has local businesses adjacent to it. Heavy rains and flooding in 2015 caused a sinkhole. An emergency repair was done on the culvert in 2016-17. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) gave authorization for it but also provided notice that it is a fish passage barrier. There was also flooding in
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Contact The Chief Phone: 503-397-0116 Fax: 503-397-4093 chiefnews@countrymedia.net 1805 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, OR 97051
2019. An evaluation was conducted in 2020 and found that the culvert is undersized. West Yost has developed three alternatives and five options. The first alternative is a hydraulic design approach. It may not meet future fish passage requirements. The second alternative is preferred by state and federal agencies and the third alternative maximizes daylighting. By the numbers
Alternative 1a is a large arch culvert with an open channel, with an estimated cost of around $6.5 million. Alternative 1b would cost $7 million but may not meet future fish passage requirements. Alternative 2a would cost $7.5 million and is likely to meet fish passage requirements. Alternative 2b would cost $8.9 million and likely meet fish passage requirements. Alternative 3 is an open channel that would cost $6.7 million. But it would impact Don Pedro’s and the estimated cost does not include the acquisition of that property, according to West Yost. Ganry said the first alternatives have the lowest cost but are not the
Jeremy C. Ruark / Country Media, Inc.
In 2016 the City of Rainier brought in heavy equipment to repair a sinkhole along Fox Creek that heightened the risk of flooding.
best for fish passage. The second alternatives are higher cost but better for permitting and maintenance and the third alternative would impact a local business. Alternatives 2a and 3 are recommended, according to Ganry. The next steps will be to identify funding sources and grant applications, environmental and Geotech studies, coordinating with ODOT
on Highway 30 and having discussions with local businesses about potential impacts to them. Alternative 2a has no impact to businesses and has an open channel in the middle. City Administrator Scott Jorgensen said that an alternative had previously been described to him as “high-risk, high-maintenance.” Ganry said that is Alternatives 1a
and 1b. Rainbier Mayor Jerry Cole expressed his preference for Alternative 2a. Cole said he disliked Alternative 3 because he doesn’t want to displace a business. Councilors Cooper and Budge both agreed with Cole. Councilor Robert duPlessis said
See CREEK Page A4
4 Oregon destinations top holiday locations Most will travel by car
JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) projects 112.7 million Americans, 33.8% of the population, will travel for the Christmas and New Year holidays. This is up 3.3% from 2021 and closing in on pre-pandemic numbers. About 1.6 million Oregonians will pack their sleighs for a holiday trip. 2022 is expected to be the third-busiest year for holiday travel since AAA began tracking in 2000, only trailing 2019 and 2018. Bend, Lincoln City, Newport and the Medford area are among the top 10 regional holiday destinations, according to the AAA. While about 90% of travelers will drive to their holiday destinations, air travel is seeing a jump this year, up 14% compared to 2021. The holiday travel period is defined as Friday, December. 23 through Monday, January 2.
AAA projects nearly 102 million Americans (90.4% of travelers) will drive to their holiday destination. This is up 2% compared to 2021. Travel by car this year is on par with 2018 but shy of 2019 when 108 million Americans drove out of town for the holidays, the highest year on record. In Oregon, roughly 1.4 million will drive. Air travel increases despite higher ticket prices
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AAA projects nearly 102 million Americans (90.4% of travelers) will drive to their holiday destination. This is up 2% compared to 2021.
“With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on Sundays, many are taking long weekends to celebrate the holidays,” AAA Oregon/Idaho Senior Vice President of Travel Doreen Loofburrow said. “And with hybrid work schedules, we’re seeing more flexibility with the days people are traveling because they can work remotely at their destinations.”
“Despite roller coaster gas prices and a bumpy year for flights, people are ready to wrap up the year with a holiday trip,” AAA Oregon/Idho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds said. “This will be one of the busiest times for holiday travel in the last two decades. Travelers should expect busy roads and crowded airports this holiday season.”
Holiday air travel will rise by 14% this year with nearly 7.2 million Americans flying to their holiday destinations. AAA expects the number of people taking holiday flights this year will come close to matching 2019 when 7.3 million Americans traveled by air.
See HOLIDAY Page A5