Public meeting, road closures, and construction on the Fremont-Winema NF
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Road construction on Fishhole Creek Road near Bly, Oregon (USFS)
Public Meeting Wednesday on Lakeview Federal Sustained Yield Unit
LAKEVIEW, Ore. – The Fremont-Winema National Forest will be holding a public meeting to discuss the 10-year review and future of the Lakeview Federal Sustained Yield Unit this Wednesday, August 21.
The meeting will be an open house format from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, located at 126 North E St. in Lakeview.
Forest managers will be available to accept comments on the draft 2018 Unit Review report, as well as to hear any proposals on how to correct or modify current conditions on the unit. The public comment period will close at the end of the meeting Wednesday.
The “Draft 2018 Unit Review Report,” as well as background information on the Lakeview Stewardship Unit, can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/main/fremont-winema/landmanagement/planning and selecting the “Lakeview Stewardship Unit”.
Comments may be submitted in writing to Natural Resources and Planning Staff Officer Chuck Burley by email to charles.burley@usda.gov or mailed or delivered to the Fremont-Winema National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 1301 South G St., Lakeview, OR 97630, ATTN: Chuck Burley.
For those wishing to supply verbal comments on the document before the meeting, please call Burley at 541-947-6204.
Road closures due to culvert and bridge work on Bly and Paisley Ranger Districts
LAKEVIEW, Ore. – As conditions continue to dry out late this summer, the Fremont-Winema National Forest is working on three culvert replacements and a bridge replacement starting this week.
On the Bly Ranger District, work is beginning on the Deer Creek Culvert Replacement Project. This project is located on Forest Road 3428 and Forest Road 3428014, which runs between Forest Roads 34 and 28.
Forest Road 3428 will be closed for this project from the junction with Forest Road 34 to the junction with Forest Road 2800047, as well as Forest Road 2428014 south of Road 3428 to the junction with Forest Road 3428040.
The closure is located just west of Clear Springs Campground. This closure is formally referenced as Order Number 06-02-01-19-02.
Additionally, the North Fork Sprague River Culvert Replacement Project is occurring on Forest Road 3372 between the junctions with Forest Roads 3372015 and 3372100.
This .8-mile road closure on the Bly Ranger District is approximately 7 miles north of Forest Road 34 and is around .75 miles northeast of the eastern boundary of the Gearhart Wilderness Area. The closure is formally referenced as Order Number 06-02-01-19-03.
On the Paisley Ranger District, the Watson Creek Culvert Replacement Project is taking place on 1.7 miles of Forest Road 3372 between the junctions with Forest Roads 3372022 and 3372021.
The road is also known as the Trunk Road and the closure is approximately 4 miles due north of the Gearhart Wilderness Area. This closure is formally referenced as Order Number 06-02-03-19-01.
Approximately 3.3 miles of Forest Road 28 on the Paisley Ranger District is closed for the Boulder Creek Bridge Replacement. The road is closed between the junctions of Forest Roads 2800332 and 2800450.
This closure is between Slide Mountain Road and the north access to Bald Butte Lookout. The closure is formally referenced as Order Number 06-02-03-19-01.
Culvert replacements are important for watershed health and passage for fish and aquatic animals, as well as continued improvement to the road infrastructure.
The bridge replacement was scheduled for last summer but was postponed due to the Watson Creek Fire.
“We know these areas are extremely popular locally, especially during hunting season,” said Forest Recreation, Engineering, Archaeology, Lands and Minerals Staff Officer Catherine Callaghan. “The public’s cooperation while we complete this important work is greatly appreciated.”
Forest visitors with questions regarding the closures can contact the Fremont-Winema National Forest at 541-947-2151, the Bly Ranger District at 541-353-2427 or the Paisley Ranger District at 541-943-3114.
All four closure orders are in place until work is completed or November 30, 2019, whichever occurs first. There will be public notification as the closure orders are lifted.
Violations of the closure order are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment of not more than 6 months or both.
Roadwork continues on Fishhole Creek Road
BLY, Ore. – Work is continuing this week to repair Forest Service Road 3790, also known as Fishhole Creek Road, on the Bly Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
During the week of August 5, Forest Service roadcrews successfully completed milling 3 miles of Fishhole Creek Road, grinding up the existing chipseal and mixing it with the cinder base below. This base was shaped, compacted and rolled.
Last week work continued on the base, as well as applying rock to approximately 1 mile of road. This included the first half mile of road off Oregon State Highway 140, as well as the last half mile of road at the end of the construction project.
The first half mile received rock last week to improve the surface for traffic entering the road from the highway.
Roadcrews are putting in a 4-inch lift of aggregate that will be the foundation for the coming chipseal project. This surface is being shaped, compacted, rolled and watered.
Road construction is happening Monday through Thursday between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. It is expected the project will continue for the next two weeks.
There are currently no traffic controls in place. However, traffic controls may be put into place as needed.
Forest road managers ask that area residents and visitors try to avoid the area while the Roadcrew is working.
Drivers in the area are asked to watch for construction traffic and for the safety of the Roadcrew to use caution, be aware of their surroundings and slow down when approaching and driving through the construction area.
Work is continuing to develop a contract for chipsealing the 3 miles of Fishhole Creek Road from Highway 140. More information will be shared as the contract is awarded and work is scheduled.
While the surface is improved ahead of the chipsealing, there will still be loose rocks and dirt until the work can be done. As on all Forest roads, drivers should travel at appropriate speeds for the road surface and conditions, allow plenty of space between vehicles and watch for hazards.
Road closure Tuesday through Thursday will restrict access to campground
CHEMULT, Ore. – Forest Service Road 9774 on the Chemult Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest will be closed starting tomorrow morning by Union Pacific Railroad for equipment repairs on the railroad tracks in the area.
The road is expected to close late tomorrow morning and reopen when the work is completed, which is expected to be done no later than Thursday.
Forest road managers were notified by Union Pacific personnel in Klamath Falls this afternoon of the need to close the road for public and employee safety.
The road accesses Corral Spring Campground off U.S. Highway 97 approximately 2 miles north of Chemult.
The road will be closed between Highway 97 and Forest Road 9774-110.
The campground will still be accessible but will require longer travel on Forest Service roads.Either from the north off State Highway 58 near the Little Deschutes Campground or from Chemult and the Walt Haring SnoPark and then taking the 110 road north
For more information on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/fremont-winema, follow the Forest on Twitter @FremontWinemaNF or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/R6FWNF.