September 3, 2020 9;40 a.m.

A short section of Cape Arago Highway, also known as Oregon 540, will be closed for one week after Labor Day, as part of a culvert replacement project.

Dan Latham of the Oregon Department of Transportation said the highway closure is scheduled to begin on Wednesday at Third Creek, near the Charleston Fire District station.

Latham said local traffic will detour one mile through a residential area, with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour. Motorists are urged to drive slowly and with caution. Flaggers will provide traffic control.

Motorists traveling between Charleston and downtown Coos Bay can also use Libby Lane.

Latham said the existing two-foot-diameter culvert is frequently blocked, which leads to flooding in the surrounding area. It will be replaced by a five-foot-wide pipe that provides better drainage.

When the highway reopens the following week, motorists should watch for intermittent lane and shoulder closures for several days. All work on the $360,000 project is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.