The long awaited reopening of Cape Meares Loop is here following over a decade of closure. The project took two winters and two summers to complete and now provides a second way out of Oceanside (when Hwy 131 closes) and a second way out of the Community of Cape Meares (when Bayocean Road closes).
The new road has 12% grades and the Road Department will close the road during ice or snow events. Tillamook County residents know how to drive on steep roads, but the road also serves flatlanders, and no one can drive on ice. We do not intend to close the gates for other reasons. Constructing a road with a flatter grade would likely double the cost and the road would never have been built. This road was built and funded by Federal Highway with the Road Department providing a 10% match.
There are quite a few Elk signs on the new road. Since Elk can’t read signs, we anticipate that they will be attracted to the signs so drive carefully. There are deer up there as well. We did not place deer signs up there so the population is limited. A new subdivision is not planned, nor was ever planned. You will get to experience the best views on the North Coast without subdivision traffic. I say that with Neah-Kah-Nie in mind. The views are obstructed when we have dense fog on the Cape. The fog can be very thick, it’s more like soup.
Light work still remains on top of the Cape just off the road, most notably grading the Scenic Viewpoint, so expect to see construction workers.
The road is now officially open with the completion of the last guardrail on the afternoon of Monday November 20, 2023.
Drive safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Here is the Pioneer’s preview of the Cape Meares Loop Road – https://www.tillamookcountypioneer.net/cape-meares-loop-ribbon-cutting-ceremony-postponed-road-opening-to-public-later-in-november/