I-84 exit 353 near Huntington closes for multi-day paving work

The westbound Exit 353 off-ramp to U.S. 30 near Huntington closed for four days, forcing Union County drivers and freight haulers into a changing I-84 work zone between Huntington and Ontario. Crews shut the ramp June 23 and kept it closed around the clock through June 26 while they paved exit ramps and worked on safety features tied to the larger highway improvement project.

The work is the I-84: Farewell Bend - N. Fork Jacobsen Gulch construction phase in Malheur County. The project repaves 16 miles of Interstate 84 and rebuilds the approaches that connect the interstate to the Olds Ferry Interchange Bridge at milepost 356. The highway section being rebuilt was paved in 2003, putting the focus on aging pavement rather than a routine surface patch.

ODOT has moved all traffic to the eastbound side of I-84 between Exit 353 and Exit 356, cut the speed limit to 50 mph in that stretch, and warned of daytime shoulder closures between mileposts 352.5 and 356.5. Lane closures also may appear in the median between mileposts 359 and 361 as crews work in the center of the highway.

The changes are part of a two-year project scheduled to wrap up by Oct. 31, 2027. The westbound Exit 356 on-ramp from OR 201 is now scheduled through July 3, not July 31, and traffic is expected to switch to the eastbound lanes July 8. The Exit 356 eastbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp are due to close later in July into August as the next stages begin.

Beyond paving, the project will install lights at chain-up areas, add new variable message signs, upgrade guardrail and replace pavement sensors for the weigh-in-motion system at the Farewell Bend Port of Entry. The new system will reduce the number of trucks that need to be weighed there, easing congestion on I-84 and allowing Commerce and Compliance Division enforcement staff to process more vehicles more efficiently.

Schedules can change with weather and project needs, and the detours will be signed as the work advances.