Railroad repairs will close U.S. 97 at Wickiup Junction near La Pine on Monday, detour will be in place

Expect delays and a detour route for up to 7 hours 

Travelers should expect delays up to 20 minutes on Monday May 23 if traveling through the La Pine area on U.S. 97.  

BNSF Railway reports that the railroad crossing at Wickiup Junction has been damaged, and a rail in the crossing must be replaced. Railway staff say the repairs could take up to 7 hours, and the crossing must be closed to traffic while they work. ODOT and Deschutes County will have a detour in place for U.S. 97 traffic during the closure.  

The railroad crossing remains safe for vehicles. 

The detour will be as follows:

• Starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday May 23, a detour will route traffic around the railroad crossing at milepost 165 via Burgess Road, Huntington Road, and State Rec Road.
• Signs and staff will direct travelers through the detour route. Deschutes County and ODOT will be on site.