Stringtown Road still closed Wednesday morning as crews work to clear fallen cottonwood

More than 24 hours after Stringtown Road first closed after a large cottonwood tree fell across it, the road remained closed between Gales Creek Road and the Stringtown Road bridge Wednesday morning. A flurry of activity at the site Wednesday morning showed progress, though. Hillsboro-based Watts Tree Service was onsite, as were Ziply Fiber, Portland General Electric, and Washington County Land Use and Transportation (LUT), all working to get portions of the tree safely off utility lines and clear the debris. The scene was complicated by the combination of utility lines, the bridge, and Gales Creek running under it all. Once the tree is removed, county bridge inspectors will inspect the 68-year-old bridge for structural damage, an LUT worker at the site said. A brief visual survey by News in the Grove reporter Chas Hundley showed some damage on the concrete railing where the cottonwood tree struck. A firm reopening timeline was not yet available. The cottonwood, an old, massive tree, fell from the south shore of Gales Creek, collapsing utility lines carrying electricity and internet service to Ziply Fiber customers in the area Tuesday morning. The tree struck the bridge and the bulk of its trunk collapsed directly across both lanes, damaging the concrete railing on the 184-foot bridge. Moments later, more than 150 Portland General Electric customers lost power, which has since been restored. Other trees in the area will also be assessed, and if needed, trimmed or removed to ensure a repeat performance does not occur. Visit wc-roads.com for the current status of the road closure.