Highway 26 reopened Thursday, Oct. 29, after closing for the third time in a week because of electrical hazards along a major commuter route near Beaverton.
All lanes between Cedar Hills and Murray Boulevard were back open as of 7 a.m., the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) confirmed, according to KOIN 6. The highway remained backed up through the morning commute despite the reopening.
ODOT warned that some traffic signals along the corridor may still lack power. Drivers should treat dark signals as four-way stops and watch for crews working near traffic lanes.
The latest closure began late Wednesday night, Oct. 28, when a power line hazard shut down the highway into the early hours of Thursday. The specific cause has not been detailed publicly.
A rough week on Highway 26
The trouble started earlier in the week when trees fell onto nearby power lines, triggering a closure and what KOIN 6 described as a nearby transformer explosion.
Then late Monday night, Oct. 26, a power line caught fire. TVF&R posted on X that firefighters responded to a power pole fire on SW Barnes Road. The fire was under control, TVF&R said, but the pole threatened nearby MAX light rail service and Highway 26 in both directions near the Highway 217 exit.
That fire forced all lanes closed from Highway 217 to Sylvan Road through Tuesday morning's rush hour while crews replaced the damaged line.
PGE says incidents are unrelated
Each closure traced back to electrical equipment. Portland General Electric (PGE) responded to all three incidents. PGE spokesperson John Farmer told KOIN 6 News the closures were separate incidents with different causes.
"We know how frustrating it can be when power outages impact people's morning commute, especially along Highway 26," Farmer said. "We're thankful for everyone's patience as we responded to and repaired our equipment."
What drivers should know
ODOT advised drivers to check TripCheck for real-time road closures. PGE outage information is available on the company's outage page.
