Part of the popular Forest Road 42 through the Ochocos near Prineville will close for the summer for a major construction project.

Beginning as early as Monday, a section of the popular Forest Road 42 through the Ochoco National Forest will be closed through November.

The project will include rebuilding the asphalt base and then repaving to improve road conditions and safety.

The Forest Road 42 road will be closed from the intersection with Forest Road 4210 to the intersection with Forest Road 30. A detour route north on Forest Road 4210 to Forest Road 22 along the north end of Big Summit Prairie and along Forest Road 3010 and Forest Road 30 will be signed.

The roads designated for the detour include single-lane roads with pullouts and steep grades. The detour routes may not be suitable for larger vehicles, due to the narrower roads and turning radius. The Post-Paulina Highway can also be used to access the eastern Ochoco National Forest.

In addition, contractors will be patching asphalt on another section of Forest Road 42 near the Ochoco Ranger Station. Flaggers will be limiting traffic to a single lane between the ranger station and Forest Road 4210, which will likely cause delays. This road maintenance will occur periodically throughout the summer.