OR 229 remains closed between milepost 14 and 15, from Kernville to Siletz, following a large landslide that destroyed a section of the highway on Dec. 12, 2025.
We have launched a new OR 229 Landslide webpage to provide the community and travelers with the latest information about the landslide, ongoing monitoring and next steps for rebuilding the highway. The page includes background on the slide, monitoring efforts, detour information and an overview of what it will take to rebuild the highway.
Crews have now installed detour signs along the designated alternate route to help guide travelers around the closure. There is currently no local detour available between Kernville and Siletz, and travelers should expect longer travel times when using alternate routes.
Water continues to be one of the biggest challenges at the site and is a key factor affecting progress. Saturated ground conditions limit safe access and increase the risk of additional movement around the edges of the slide.
Our engineers and geotechnical experts continue working with technical partners to conduct site investigations and monitor slope movement. The team hopes to install subsurface monitoring instruments once conditions stabilize enough to safely place the equipment. These tools will help measure how soil and rock layers are shifting below the surface and track groundwater levels, which play a major role in landslide activity.
The landslide destroyed roughly 1,000 feet of road and remains extremely complex. In some areas large blocks of soil and rock shifted, while other sections behaved more like a debris flow due to high water content. Because of ongoing instability, the area remains unsafe for full on-the-ground access.
This closure has a significant impact on the community and travelers. Because the slide destroyed portions of the road and remains unstable, reopening OR 229 will require far more than debris removal. It will require extensive investigation, design, funding and construction similar to building an entirely new road.
We will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as more information becomes available.
To learn about the more than 4,000 identified unstable slopes along Oregon's highways, visit our Unstoppable Slopes, Landslides, Debris Flows, and Rockfalls webpage.
Source: ODOT