February 19, 2020 10:15 a.m.
Motorists traveling between Sutherlin and Scottsburg this week should expect intermittent lane closures and brief delays  due to bridge work at three locations.
Dan Latham of the Oregon Department of Transportation said traffic will be limited to a single lane on Oregon 38 at Weatherly Creek, Paradise Creek, and on Oregon 138W at the Umpqua River Bridge.
Latham said each location will be controlled by an automated flagging system. Each system consists of a modified traffic signal with a crossing arm at each end of a work zone. During the signal’s red-phase, the arm will lower to block traffic in one direction. During the yellow-phase, the arm will lift, allowing traffic to pass through the work zone. There is no green-phase.
Latham said similar “robot” flagging systems have been used for nearly a decade in eastern and central Oregon. He said they are designed to keep everyone, including flaggers, safe on the highway.
Latham said motorists should drive with caution through the work zone and should watch for advance warning signs.