Fern Hill Road closed due to high water; gates in place

For Immediate Release: Saturday, January 27, 2018

Fern Hill Road is closed to all traffic from Taylor Way to Geiger Road due to flooding. Motorists should avoid the area or use alternate routes.

Travelers should beware of water on roads. Six inches of water is enough to cause a driver to lose control of a car. If there is flooding on the road, turn around, don't drown.

Washington County's new manual-locking flood gates on Fern Hill are in use for the first time. The gates were installed in the fall for traveler safety. In February 2017, there were two confirmed cases of motorists who moved/drove around barricades on Fern Hill Road and had to be rescued. Forest Grove Fire & Rescue charged each driver $516 for the rescues. Both drivers were also fined $260 for moving/driving around barricades, which is against the law. To report someone traveling around a gate or barricade, call the Washington County Sheriff's Office nonemergency dispatch at 503-629-0111.

To request help or report a road hazard:

• Call 9-1-1 (life-threatening emergency).
• Call 503-629-0111 (after hours, non-emergency).
• Call 503-846-ROAD (846-7623) or email [email protected] (during business hours).
• Submit an online request for non-emergency road service.
• Call Clean Water Services at 503-547-8100 to report flooding in urban unincorporated areas (outside of cities).

Washington County is committed to planning, building and maintaining a great transportation system, ensuring the safety of all roadway users and operating the County roadway system in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner.

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