If you’re planning a trip along the southern Oregon Coast in September, make sure to mark your calendars now. U.S. Highway 101 will be completely closed south of Bandon the weekend of Friday, September 19 through Sunday, September 21 as crews work to replace a failing culvert buried deep under the highway.
The closure will take place at Bearhead Mountain Lane, about six miles south of Bandon. Work is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, with the highway expected to reopen late Sunday night, Sept. 21.
Unlike most road projects where crews can keep at least one lane open, this stretch of 101 offers no easy workarounds. On one side, there’s a steep slope; on the other, wetlands and a stream that winds directly through the work zone. A temporary bypass would mean carving through hillsides, relocating the stream, or stretching construction into months instead of days. Instead, ODOT opted for a rapid replacement method, digging more than 20 feet down to pull the failing pipe and install a larger culvert in one shot. This approach is expected to save taxpayers more than $1 million while limiting traffic impacts to a single weekend.
Unfortunately, there’s no local shortcut around the work zone. The official detour reroutes drivers far inland, using U.S. 199 (Redwood Highway), I-5, and OR 42 (Coos Bay–Roseburg Highway). It’s a long drive, so give yourself plenty of extra time if you’re heading to or from the coast that weekend.
The closure has been strategically scheduled after the summer travel rush, but visitors should note that Coos Bay will still host several events that same weekend. So, if you’re heading that way, expect a longer trip and plan accordingly.
For the latest updates and road conditions, keep an eye on TripCheck.com.
