A power pole fire closed Highway 26 between Oregon Highway 217 and Sylvan Road overnight, blocking a key commute route for West Haven-Sylvan and Cedar Mill drivers. Rolling slowdowns are planned on the highway Tuesday evening, Oct. 27, as repair work continues.
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) responded to the blaze on Southwest Barnes Road on Monday evening, Oct. 26. The burning pole threatened nearby MAX light rail service and Highway 26 in both directions near the OR-217 exit, TVF&R said on X. Traffic and light rail service were halted.
The fire was extinguished by 11 p.m. Monday, KGW reported, but the highway stayed closed into Tuesday morning. Drivers were routed off at the Sylvan Road and OR-217 exits. Detour routes along Southwest Barnes Road to Burnside and Canyon Road south of Highway 26 also backed up with significant delays.
KGW crews on the scene confirmed the roadway reopened shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.
More slowdowns planned
The disruption is not over. Rolling slowdowns are set to begin on Highway 26 around 7 p.m. Tuesday so utility crews can finish replacing power lines damaged in the fire, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). ODOT gave no estimated time of completion and warned drivers to prepare for slow traffic.
Portland General Electric (PGE) crews were working to take down and replace the damaged pole. A PGE spokesperson told KGW that rain hitting dust and debris that had settled on insulators atop the pole after a long dry period caused the fire.
"After a long dry period, dust and debris settle into insulators on top of power poles. Then, when it rains, that electricity tracks from the power line to the wood part through that debris," the spokesperson said.
Drivers heading through the Highway 26 corridor between OR-217 and Sylvan Road on Tuesday evening should expect delays and consider alternate routes. Southwest Barnes Road, Burnside and Canyon Road were all congested during the overnight closure and may see similar backups during the evening work.
