Bryant Way was closed to traffic Friday. In the distance: Two sections of the road were under water.
On my first bike ride after Oregon’s mid-January ice and snowstorm, I found Bryant Way closed near the Albany city limit.
Being on two wheels rather than four, I had no problem walking the bike around the closed gate, not to challenge the rushing stream but to take a closer look at the flooded sections of the road:
On Friday, Linn County listed more than a dozen roads where sections were closed because of high water. Bryant Drive was one. Benton County’s website, too, warned of potential flooding.
On Bryant Way just outside the Albany city limit, there are a couple a low spots where water sloshes across the road when the Calapooia River gets high enough.
This used to happen every few years in winter or early spring, and drivers would often try to get through despite the high-water warnings posted on the road.
On the day of New Year’s Eve 2005, the Albany Fire Department rescued two teenagers and their dog when the teens’ pickup stalled in the middle of one of the deep spots.
After that, the Linn County Road Department installed swinging gates on Bryant Way. Now the county closes the gates to keep motorists away and out of trouble when flood waters rush across the road. (hh)
Two short sections of Bryant Way had water running across on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.
Whoosh! Thank you, Hasso for being there for us!
Oh come-on sport, got to get pretty deep to drown the engine.
It depends on the vehicle and how fast they hit the puddle. And how often.
Thanks for the update.
You do a great job.
Thanks