Drivers who use Cornelius Pass Road to move between the Tualatin Valley and the U.S. 30 corridor will need to find another way starting July 15, 2026.
Washington County and the Oregon Department of Transportation are shutting the road entirely for 2.5 months to tear out an 80-year-old bridge and replace it.
The closure runs through Sept. 29, 2026, on OR-127 between Germantown Road and Kaiser Road, according to a Washington County press release published July 9. No through traffic of any kind will pass during that window.
Why the bridge has to go
The Rock Creek bridge was built in 1946. It cannot handle modern freight vehicles or the larger, heavier trucks that use the corridor, according to Washington County's Land Use & Transportation department. The bridge was built far narrower than what the road's traffic requires. The replacement will be a single-span bridge with two vehicle lanes and wide shoulders built to carry heavy cargo.
Construction began in April 2026 with daytime lane closures. Utility relocation was underway as of June 23, according to the county's project page.
Detours and a complication
The county posted separate detour routes by vehicle type:
- Cyclists: Old Cornelius Pass Road
- Cars and light trucks: Germantown Road and Kaiser Road
- Freight trucks: U.S. 26 to I-405 to U.S. 30
- Trucks with hazardous cargo: U.S. 26 to I-5 to U.S. 30
One wrinkle: Kaiser Road itself is closed between Brugger and Springville roads through Aug. 16, according to the county's project page. That means the recommended car detour will be partially blocked for the first month of the bridge closure.
Cost and funding
The project costs $6.5 million, per Washington County. Funding comes from a mix of ODOT federal and state bridge funds, Regional Flexible Funding Allocation from Metro, and Washington County's Road Capital Fund. ODOT's own project page lists the cost at $6.2 million; the county has not explained the discrepancy.
Jurisdiction of Cornelius Pass Road has already transferred to ODOT, and the finished bridge will become ODOT's responsibility for future maintenance. Washington County's project timeline puts final completion in October 2026.
How to stay informed
Residents can check road conditions at wc-roads.com and tripcheck.com. For project questions, contact Washington County Capital Project Services at 503-846-7800. The project falls within Washington County Commissioner Districts 2 and 4.
