OAKRIDGE, Ore. — Crews have opened an emergency route to Oakridge on Highway 58 to allow utility companies access to the city, which has been without power for days.
The Oregon Department of Transportation says the “lifeline” route will not be open for travelers. Heavy snow and downed trees remain on the highway. The route allows emergency services into town and will help any stranded drivers out of the city, ODOT said.
A fuel delivery was escorted into Oakridge from the east on Highway 97, according to ODOT.
There is no estimate for when Highway 58 will fully reopen to regular traffic, but ODOT said it would not happen Wednesday night.
Oakridge is located about 40 miles southeast of Eugene. On Sunday, an Amtrak Coast Starlight train struck a downed tree on the tracks near Oakridge and was stuck in the city for over 36 hours. A Union Pacific locomotive reached the train Tuesday morning after crews cleared the tracks from the west, and towed the train and its nearly 200 passengers back to Eugene.