Oregon Public Broadcasting

Workers are almost ready to re-open a tunnel on the historic Columbia River highway.  As Pete Springer reports, the tunnel was built in 1914 but closed as a safety precaution 60 years ago.

The Oneonta Tunnel is a narrow tunnel.

By the 1930’s, a one-way traffic signal had to be installed at each end since two cars couldn’t fit side by side in the tunnel.

Rotting timbers and other problems closed the tunnel 60 years ago.

But a $1.6 million joint state and federal highway project that began a couple of years ago restored the tunnel.

It will open this weekend, but only to pedestrians and cyclists.

Jeanette Kloos is president of Friends of the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Her group has been working to re-open not only the Oneonta Tunnel, but three others on the historic highway as well.

Jeanette Kloos: “The reason that the tunnels will be open for hiking and biking only is the reasons they were closed originally -- they are too narrow for modern day cars.”

The official grand-opening of the tunnel will be March 21st and will feature several antique cars.