EDITOR’S NOTE: Travel remains challenging in many part of Oregon and Washington. With the holidays and many people wanting to get to family and friends, in and around Tillamook County and the central and southern coast have thawed, but Clatsop County, the Coast Range, the valley and of course the Gorge remain below freezing. Use extreme caution when heading east or north – snow tires, studded tires and chains are required in some areas at this time.
Interstate 84 remains closed on Friday in the Columbia River Gorge from Troutdale to Hood River with no re-opening in sight while the current storm runs its course. We will open the highway when it’s safe, but the storm is expected to last into Saturday.
A dangerous combination of snow, ice and high wind has created conditions unsafe for even the most experienced travelers, and the dangers reach way beyond the Gorge.
Many routes across the northwest are feeling the impact of the storm and have seen closures in the last 24 hours. Tripcheck.com is up-to-date with all current closures and traffic impacts around the state.
Truck parking is quickly filling along I-84 in Hood River, The Dalles, and Biggs Junction. We encourage drivers to delay their trip or wait out the closure from their current location and not continue on to the hard closure points. Parking on the interstate is not an option once designated lots are full. Blocking lanes of travel creates a hazard and strands people in areas with no services.
Our crews are working around the clock tending to the roads, but there is no single tool in our toolbox that can defeat the challenge presented by ice. We encourage everyone to delay travel until the storm is over.
Take a look at these videos of current conditions from our crews on the road:
I-84 near the closure point in Troutdale
Crews battle the snow and ice inside the I-84 closure
Snow and ice flowing like water
Parking is nearly full for trucks in Hood River waiting out the storm.