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ODOT plans for unplanned holiday detours By Buffy Pollock Updated: Nov 22, 2022 03:11 PM A A Motorists face snowy conditions near the intersection of Dead Indian Memorial Road and Cove Road. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Regional transportation officials are gearing up for a busy Thanksgiving holiday. While members of the traveling public will be venturing onto state highways headed for football games and family dinners, transportation workers will be digesting the seasonal menu of inclement weather, distracted drivers and Google Maps mishaps. For dessert, they’ll choose between a shortage of snowplow drivers in addition to their increased efforts to keep drivers from venturing onto unpaved, unsafe “alternate routes.“ Matt Noble, a public information officer for Oregon Department of Transportation, said state officials were putting out a call this week asking travelers to give extra thought to winter safety. With staffing levels at record lows, fewer snowplow drivers will be on hand this year and possibly for a few years to come. Transportation officials say patience and common sense will go a long way. “We’re just down a lot on our maintenance positions and snow plow drivers. Our numbers in October, I think, showed we were down over 100 positions. We did just hire a bunch of temporary seasonal workers over the last couple weeks, so it could be slightly better by now. But we’re still below what we’d like to be.” Noble said roadways would still be taken care of, but things wouldn’t happen as fast as they have in years past. “I think the way we describe it is it’s going to be a lower level of service than we were used to having, say three, four, five years ago. Any given road that you use on a daily basis may be covered with snow or ice a little longer than it’s been in years past,” he said. “We’re having to just juggle our available resources. Major routes, we hit first. It’s still an all-hands-on-deck situation, but we don’t have as many hands as we usually do.” Noble said reduced service levels could become the norm amid changes to long-term funding. State officials, however, are creatively using the resources they do have, including strategic use of something called a “temporary hold,” which Noble explained is not unlike a pit crew of ODOT folk getting motorists over the snowy pass. “Instead of just closing the road down, we’ll close the road for an hour and hold traffic at the base of the summit, on the Oregon or California side. And the plows will all do continuous runs up and down to clear as much snow and ice as possible,” he added. “Then we’ll let everyone through safely. We use holds when we’re dealing with really snowy conditions, like we had last Christmas.” In addition to strategic plowing, Noble said a half-dozen new reader boards recently were installed. Those combined with increased education are an ongoing focus, including efforts to discourage drivers from relying too heavily on GPS and phone apps that don’t account for road closures, maintenance issues or bad weather. “So many people these days use GPS or Apple maps. Those can be deceiving. Google maps is so eager to save you, like, two and a half minutes. And that can very quickly find you on an alternate route off a major road like I-5 with a lower level of service than the main road,” Noble added. County officials, too, reiterated avoidance of alternate routes during winter, referencing the upcoming anniversary of the 2006 Kim family tragedy, when a family of four ventured down backwoods Bear Camp Road in rural Josephine County. The decision resulted in a nine-day ordeal for the parents and young children and the death of father James Kim. Jackson County Search and Rescue Commander Shawn Richards said it’s crucial to always let someone know the route you’ll be taking during winter travel and, for absolute certain, not to blindly trust cellphone apps. Take a paper map and prepare for worst-case scenarios. Richards said motorists, including semi-truck drivers who are prohibited from certain roads during winter, too often try their hand at alternate routes even when it means bypassing signed road closures. “We definitely have quite a few issues when people use Google maps. The app tells them to take a certain road, and we have people trying to go around closures, even on the I-5 summit. It’s to a point where we have a sign on Colestin Road that says, ‘Your GPS is wrong. This isn’t a secondary route!’ “We have quite a few that have gotten people into trouble. I think they innocently get into it. Their phone reroutes them, and the road starts off good. But by the time it’s not good, there’s no place to turn around, and that’s where they end up getting stuck and stranded,” Richards said. “Our concern is that it has cost people their lives. It’s lucky when they’re able to call us to come help. What causes me to lose sleep is the person that can’t get out and call for help. I think that’s the hardest part. These are decisions that are very serious — and it can end up costing you your life.” ODOT tips for safe winter travel The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel times of the year, regardless of conditions. Expect delays, plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Be careful when traveling over mountain passes. Check TripCheck.com for road conditions. Many camera displays include temperature and other helpful information. Pay attention to roadside message signs. They contain critical information about conditions on the road ahead, like chain requirements. Make sure you’re ready for wintry road conditions. Carry chains and know how to use them. In case of major delays, pack supplies for you and your passengers such as food, water, blankets, warm clothes and medications. Drive for conditions: rain, snow or extra traffic. Slow down and give space for more stopping time, especially if the road is slick. Give snowplows extra space and never pass on the right. Be patient. The safest place to be when it's snowing is behind a plow. Make sure there’s a sober, focused and alert driver behind the wheel to help you get to your destinations. Be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists who often are less visible in wintry weather. For more information, see ODOT’s winter driving tips website, oregon.gov/odot/pages/winter-driving.aspx Travelers in Oregon can dial 511 to access the same immediate road and weather information available on TripCheck . Most wireless companies in Oregon provide 511 service. If you cannot use 511, call toll-free 800 977-ODOT (6368) for road and weather information. Outside Oregon, dial 503-588-2941. Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal