Highway restored after months of work to rebuild slope beneath the road
(May 11, 2026 – NESKOWIN, OR) – U.S. 101 south of Neskowin has fully reopened after two landslides damaged the highway during the December 2025 storms. Travelers can once again use all lanes through this section of the Oregon Coast Highway.
The slides occurred between mileposts 102 and 103, where the ground beneath the highway failed after heavy rains saturated the hillside. The road cracked and dropped several feet, forcing crews to stabilize the slope below the highway before they could rebuild the road and fully reopen the highway.
Crews kept this critical coastal route open around the clock by safely guiding traffic through the work zone in a single lane with 24/7 flagging. It reopened to traffic on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
This repair required specialized engineering, careful construction and close coordination between ODOT, the Federal Highway Administration, contractors and local governments.
With repairs now complete, traffic is moving normally through this section of U.S. 101. Crews are scheduled to complete permanent striping Wednesday, weather permitting, as one of the final steps in this emergency repair.
What crews did
To repair the site, crews rebuilt the hillside beneath the highway while maintaining traffic through the work zone.
Work included:
- Excavating unstable soil below the highway
- Installing soil nails to stabilize the slope and reduce the risk of future movement
- Building a retaining block wall to support the highway
- Rebuilding the road base and repaving the highway
- Installing guardrail and completing final striping
Contractors on this project include Geostabilization International, Road and Driveway Co. and D&H Flagging Inc..
Part of a larger storm recovery effort
The December 2025 storms caused significant damage across northwest Oregon, triggering multiple landslides and long-term highway closures.
In several locations, including this section of U.S. 101, the damage happened beneath the highway. Repairs like this require crews to rebuild the ground below the road before repairing the surface above.
OR 229 remains closed after a landslide during the same storm destroyed part of the highway. ODOT is working on plans to build a temporary local access road while also designing a long-term project to permanently rebuild the highway.
Travelers can find the latest road conditions, traffic cameras and weather information at TripCheck.com, which provides real-time travel information to help you plan safe trips year-round.
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