Debris from a failed culvert covers a portion of Oregon Highway 204. The road will be fully closed from Monday, Sept. 11, until Sept. 18, 2023, while construction crews replace the culvert near milepost 28.7, which will allow water to pass under the highway.

ELGIN — A culvert replacement project will impact traffic on Oregon Highway 204 in northern Umatilla and Union counties during the month of September.

The road will be fully closed from Monday, Sept. 11, until Sept. 18, according to a press release from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The closure will impact Highway 204 starting approximately 26 miles east of Weston at the Andies Prairie Sno-Pack to milepost 30.2 about 10 miles west of Elgin.

Construction crews will replace a failed culvert near milepost 28.7 and allow water to pass under the highway, according to ODOT. Over the past few years heavy rains and spring snowmelt have flooded the roads and caused damage to the highway and shoulders.

ODOT said that travelers should use alternative routes, such as Highway 82, Interstate 84 or Highway 11. Local roads near Highway 204 are not suitable for highway traffic.

After Sept. 18 the closure will be modified to a single-lane restriction with 24-hour flagging. According to ODOT, the work is expected to be completed by Sept. 26.