NEWS UPDATE FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GOMBERG: Navigating Summer Traffic and Construction Smarter and Safer

By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10

6/29/26

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Our summer highways are full. People are in a hurry, construction backs up the traffic, and turning left can tempt fate or add endless minutes to a simple trip.

I can’t make these drives any easier. But I can help you at least better understand what is going on out there. And I can encourage you to drive in ways that make the journey safer.

Let’s start with highway conditions.

TripCheck is the official traveler information portal managed by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). It provides drivers with real-time road conditions, traffic cameras, weather alerts, and construction updates to help navigate your way safely across Oregon.

TripCheck.com offers lots of features for planning your route, including:

Live Road Cameras: Access to over 1,000 traffic cameras across Oregon and neighboring states. You can bookmark your custom list of frequently used cameras.
Interactive Maps: Real-time maps showing color-coded traffic speeds, incidents, construction zones, and winter weather restrictions.
Closure Information: Prominent, up-to-date alerts for highway closures and conditional travel restrictions.
511 Phone System: If you are driving, you can dial 511 to hear the exact same automated traffic and weather updates available on the website.

For local commuters, TripCheck is an essential tool for avoiding congestion and staying safe during inclement weather.

TripCheck will tell you where to expect construction and what delays you may encounter. But it doesn’t tell you what that construction is.

Check out the statewide interactive construction map to see the locations of work ODOT is doing on the roads in and around your community. They update the map as new work starts or as work is completed.

Click on lines or dots to learn more about the project, visit the project webpage, sign up to receive project alerts and submit questions or comments.

These tools can help you find the best route to get where you need to go and help you move through or around construction areas. You can view construction projects across the region, or in a specific county.

Type the project number into the search bar for full project details. That will include who is doing the work, how to contact them, projected start and finish dates, and how much the project cost.

You can also use the interactive map on ODOTs Transportation Project Tracker site.

Pay attention in work zones, slow down and move over. Always drive safely, watch for construction signs and workers. Remember that fines double in all Oregon work zones, whether workers and signs are present or not.

ODOT now offers a new type of travel warning on their website: Conditional Closures (CC). These alerts help you see when certain types of vehicles can still travel through areas affected by hazards, while others may be restricted.

What Are Conditional Closures? A Conditional Closure means a road or highway is partially closed based on vehicle type or other specific restrictions. For example:

Minor flooding may lead to a closure for low-clearance vehicles, but trucks or high-clearance vehicles can still pass.
High winds may result in a closure for high-profile vehicles (such as RVs, box trucks, or trailers) to reduce blow-over risk.
Local traffic only closures could restrict everyone except drivers who live or work in the area.
Chain condition requirements might close the road to unchained vehicles when chains are mandatory.

Bookmark these travel resources on your computer and phone so you have them when you need them!

Now let’s talk staying safe on our roads.

In Oregon, avoidable work zone crashes hit a 5-year high in 2024, and data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that 24% of all fatal automobile accidents occur during morning and evening work commutes, with more than 60% of fatal commuting accidents occurring during the evening drive home. While airbags and anti-lock brakes are necessary in a crash, your vehicle safety preparedness, driving focus, and ability to think clearly under pressure are vital to potentially avoid a deadly accident.

Next time you’re ready to drive, take a minute to make sure you’re as prepped as possible to avoid distractions on the road. It doesn’t matter how much driving experience you have, how big of a rush you’re in, or how confident you feel— distractions can be deadly, and it only takes an instant for things to go wrong on the road.

Program GPS, music playlist, or any other electronic device before moving.
Avoid using headphones or earbuds to stay alert. If earbuds are needed, consider using only one. Oregon does not have a specific statue that prohibits driving with headphones, but drivers can still be cited under broader distracted or reckless driving laws if officers determine the audio device contributed to dangerous behavior.
Secure loose items such as bags, food, or drinks to avoid spilling.
Configure temperature settings or windshield defoggers.
Secure pets in your vehicle so they don’t impact your driving.

Have you ever driven on a familiar route, arrived at your destination but failed to remember much of the journey? This is usually due to a phenomenon called “highway hypnosis”, an altered mental state where your brain continues to control the vehicle while your conscious attention drifts, leading to inattention blindness. A 2014 experiment observed university students who were walking down a path while looking at their phones. Findings showed that these students were able to avoid major obstacles, such as signs on the sidewalks, but failed to actually see and realize the researchers had hung money on the trees.

Inattention blindness supports the idea that while we are in autopilot mode, our brain can only process external stimuli to a limited extent. The study suggested tips to avoid highway hypnosis:

Keep eyes moving across the road or landmarks, instead of fixed on one spot.
Drive with the window open or the fan on.
Sing along to music.
If using GPS, use the voice function to prompt action.
Take an alternate, less-traveled route (if possible) to keep brain engaged in new surroundings.
Avoid heavy mental load while driving.
Take breaks on long trips to refresh attention.

Rest areas are provided by the Department of Transportation to offer a stopping place for travelers to take a short break from driving, relax, have a snack, or use the restroom.

Many of these rest areas are managed by Oregon Travel Information Council (OTIC). The Council, which operates under the name Oregon Travel Experience (OTE), is a semi-independent state agency and does not receive general tax funds.

The council funds its operations—which include managing highway rest areas, the logo sign program, historical markers, and heritage trees—through program revenues like highway “Blue Logo” sign fees, state highway funds allocated by the legislature, and sponsorships.

Business Fees: The agency collects application and renewal fees from businesses (gas, food, lodging) that advertise on the state’s blue highway logo signs.
State Highway Funds: The Oregon State Legislature allocates a portion of the state highway fund to the TIC. Under the Oregon Constitution, these funds (derived from gas taxes and vehicle registrations) are legally restricted and used specifically to help construct, operate, and maintain roadside rest areas.
Community Sponsorships: Specific historical markers and heritage tree programs are often co-funded by local community sponsors and OTIC.

Note: The council is often confused with Travel Oregon (the Oregon Tourism Commission). Travel Oregon is a separate agency entirely funded by the statewide transient lodging tax paid by overnight visitors.

All of the Department’s Interstate rest areas and most of our rest areas on other highways are ADA accessible. Other features may include picnic tables, drinking water, traveler information and vending machines.

Highway rest areas (left) and beach wayside parks (right) support drivers.

In addition to highway rest areas, Oregon beach waysides offer small, day-use coastal parks designed for public beach access. They typically feature convenient parking, clean restrooms, and short trails. Managed primarily by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, these sites break up long stretches of highway and act as quick bathroom breaks and easy jumping-off points for beachcombing and ocean views.

Many of our waysides now require payment for parking or an annual permit. Day-use parking at Oregon state beaches costs $10 per day for residents and $12 for non-residents. You can easily buy daily permits at park fee stations, online using the Oregon State Parks Day-Use Permit Portal, or by calling 1-800-452-5687.

And of course, cities and counties also offer parks and restrooms. Here are a few examples in different parts of the district.

The Don Davis Park in Newport includes a sidewalk to the beach, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and sitting areas.
The Paul J. Cochran Veterans Memorial Park, just off Hwy 20 in Philomath, is a neighborhood park built in 2023-2024. It includes a Veterans memorial, and a play area with swings and play structures. In 2019, the City of Philomath received a land donation from the trust of Beverly Cochran Durham with the intention of developing the property into a park named in memory of her son, Paul Cochran, who was killed in the Vietnam War.
The Monroe City Park is a pleasant expanse along Highway 99 mid-way between Corvallis and Eugene.
The D River Wayside in Lincoln City is one of the most frequently used beach access parks in Oregon. Recently, State Parks transferred the Wayside to the City and work is currently underway replacing the old restrooms with a new and inviting, staffed welcome center.

Please help keep these rest areas available to all by using them as they are intended, and by following the posted rest area rules.

Finally, our office has been receiving an increasing number of calls regarding various forms of motorized personal transportation. As these devices become more common, questions often arise about where they can be ridden, who can operate them, and what laws apply.

To help residents better understand the distinctions between e-bikes, e-motos, e-scooters, and similar devices, the Forest Grove Police Department provided the following outline. Whether you are a rider, parent, motorist, or pedestrian, understanding these regulations helps promote safety for everyone sharing our streets, sidewalks, trails, and public spaces.

Before you ride, know what your device is capable of in terms of speed, pedals, and throttle operation. Be aware of where it may legally be ridden, what safety equipment is required, and who may legally operate it. Remember that Oregon law prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from operating an e-bike. You can lean more at the Official ODOT Micromobility Guide.

Finally, if you find yourself behind me on one of these crowded highways, I’m one of the folks that slows down to let people enter the road or make that left turn. With traffic moving slowly, it doesn’t cost me any time. And it makes their day just a little better. Most of them wave to say so.

I used our highways a lot the last few days. I helped dedicate the new stage at Schooner Creek Discovery Park, said a few words to kick off a wet PRIDE celebration in Lincoln City, met with Lincoln County realtors, spoke at the dedication of several new murals on the Newport bayfront, and then kicked off the PAC concert I helped sponsor. And all of that was just on Saturday!

This coming week includes meetings to review drought conditions in Oregon, a discussion of Federal Columbia River Power System decisions relating to fish and fisheries, and dinner with the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County and Yaquina Bay Economic Foundation. Later in the week, I’ll join a small group of legislators as part of the Task Force for the Rebuilding Our Transportation Vision. Friday, I’ll be at the Lincoln County Fair.

Saturday, of course, is the Fourth of July. Our District enjoys two wonderful local parades—one in Yachats and one in Gleneden Beach. Not having a favorite, I alternate the two each year. Then Susan and I work our way to Newport for the always inspiring (and free) Symphony performance in Newport. We’ll then watch the fireworks with friends.

It is the Semiquincentennial! Quin is five. Semi is half. And Centennial is 100 years. Please celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary safely, and with pride in who we are, respect for what we have accomplished, and hope for what we can be.

Warm Regards,