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1 lane of Hwy 30 opens nightly as crews clear landslide

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One lane of Highway 30 reopened in Clatsop County over the weekend before temporarily closing again Monday morning, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Flaggers will be out from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. nightly as crews continue to clear debris from a landslide about halfway between Astoria and Clatskanie. The work can only be done during daylight hours.

“It is too dangerous and complicated to run traffic during the day,” ODOT Maintenance District 1 Manager Mark Buffington said on Sunday. “We are attempting to bring in another team of scalers tomorrow hoping to double our efforts.”

Heavy rain and wind caused the hillside to give way Tuesday night, sending tons of mud and rock onto the roadway and crashing into a semi-truck.

The driver was not injured, according to ODOT.

Officials warn drivers in the area to be extra cautious, watch for flaggers and expect a delay.

ODOT said it’s still unclear when the highway will fully reopen.