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Q:J.C. of Riddle would like to know why there aren't dedicated truck lanes on Interstate 5 at Roberts Mountain, southeast of Winston. The steep inclines force the heavy trucks to slow down over the mountain, creating a dangerous situation when cars and other lighter vehicles are traveling at much higher speeds, she said.
A:The geology of Roberts Mountain plays a significant role in keeping I-5 at two northbound and two southbound lanes in that stretch of roadway, said Jared Castle, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation.
In engineering circles, the mountain is considered fairly unstable, because it sheds a certain amount of rock each year on both the east and west sides of the road. ODOT has a concrete buttress on the west side to prevent rocks from tumbling onto the roadway, while a shoulder barrier performs the same function on the other side. Cutting off another section of the mountain could make that problem worse, Castle said.
"I've been told that Roberts Mountain is even worse than the Myrtle Creek curves," he said.
The highway department decided earlier this year to abandon a project to straighten the Myrtle Creek curves because the rock in the mountainside next to the road was too brittle.
Motorists traveling over Roberts Mountain need to be aware that slow-moving trucks are likely to be there, as well. Drivers should be aware of other traffic behind them and plan to move into the fast lane and get around the trucks before getting boxed in, he said.
A:The geology of Roberts Mountain plays a significant role in keeping I-5 at two northbound and two southbound lanes in that stretch of roadway, said Jared Castle, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation.
In engineering circles, the mountain is considered fairly unstable, because it sheds a certain amount of rock each year on both the east and west sides of the road. ODOT has a concrete buttress on the west side to prevent rocks from tumbling onto the roadway, while a shoulder barrier performs the same function on the other side. Cutting off another section of the mountain could make that problem worse, Castle said.
"I've been told that Roberts Mountain is even worse than the Myrtle Creek curves," he said.
The highway department decided earlier this year to abandon a project to straighten the Myrtle Creek curves because the rock in the mountainside next to the road was too brittle.
Motorists traveling over Roberts Mountain need to be aware that slow-moving trucks are likely to be there, as well. Drivers should be aware of other traffic behind them and plan to move into the fast lane and get around the trucks before getting boxed in, he said.
