Loop Rd. money OK’d

Officials with the U. S. Department of Transportation said today that $3.2 million has been earmarked for repairs to a stretch of the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road washed out by recent flooding.

“We just got off a conference call with John Porcari, deputy director at the Department of Transportation, and he confirmed we will be getting the money to repair Wallowa Loop Road,” said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore.

Federal officials have deemed the Loop Road, a popular summer route between Baker and Wallowa counties, will have the highest priority for repairs to be done by Nov. 1.

“The Forest Service made a very strong case for the funding to get Wallowa Loop Road back up and open as soon as possible,” Walden said.

Over the past two weeks, Walden has been pushing to get funding for the road repairs on a fast track for approval, due to the road’s importance to the area economy and tourism industry.

Now that the money has been allocated, Walden said, “it’s important to get boots on the ground making the repairs as soon as possible.”

The washed out section is several miles north of Highway 86.