They have been working two 10-12 hour shifts each day in the tunnel, located about 30 miles west of Portland, since it closed to traffic January 28. Crews are spraying shotcrete, liquid concrete with steel fibers inside the east and west portals as well as three locations in the middle section of the tunnel. The shotcrete is being applied between the old wood beams first 10 inches thick, than another six inches. Between the two layers, a system of pipes will drain water down the inside of the tunnel's arch leading to horizontal pipes under the sidewalk than into drainage ditches outside each portal. Tons of rock have been hauled to the site to be used to improve drainage above and on each side of both portals.
Motorists can choose among different routes to travel between Portland and the coast.
Take Highway 26 to Route 6 cutoff near Banks, follow Route 6 to Tillamook. At Glenwood, turn right and follow Timber Road north to Highway 26. Motorists also have the option of using a detour around the tunnel for access to local businesses and coastal communities. The 23-mile detour uses or 47 north from the Sunset Highway and Timber Road near Vernonia as an alternate road to the coast. This detour route uses low speed-limit roads, designed for low traffic volumes.