November 3, 2025
Rhododendrama on Route 26
A Turn Lane in Rhododendron
Locals demanded safety; commenters fight over speed limits, widening, and a ‘pioneer grave’
TLDR: Crashes surged on a 1.26‑mile stretch near Rhododendron, prompting calls for a turn lane; a later “pioneer grave” claim didn’t hold up. Commenters brawled over widening versus lower speed limits, while others mocked the mystery stone pillars and joked they thought “rhododendron” was a shape.
The internet did a double take when a tale about a left‑turn lane near Rhododendron, Oregon turned into small‑town saga meets archaeology soap opera. Locals once begged for a safer US‑26 after crashes doubled on a 1.26‑mile stretch; years later, a citizen group shouted “historic grave!” and an archaeologist said, basically, nope. Commenter geophph had the hometown gasp: “No way… Sure was,” while the thread split into two feisty camps. Team Slow It Down, led by oftenwrong and BigTTYGothGF, argued that wider roads just tempt faster driving and that a simple lower speed limit could save lives. Team Build It countered that without a turn lane, drivers were literally stopping in fast traffic—yikes.
Then came the subplot: those mysterious stone pillars. onionisafruit swore they look like a neighborhood decoration, poking holes in the “pioneer grave” drama. Cue popcorn as folks relived the red‑tape years—when federal reviews like NEPA (environment checks) and NHPA (historic protections) turned a straightforward safety fix into a community brawl. The comic relief? Multiple readers admitted they clicked in thinking a “rhododendron” was some new geometric shape, not a mountain town. The vibe: classic Oregon culture clash—safety, speed, and a possibly-not-historic pile of rocks—served with memes and mild shade.
Key Points
- •US‑26 near Rhododendron, Oregon experienced elevated crash rates, with FHWA noting rates double those of similar rural highways.
- •In 1998, over 650 stakeholders petitioned ODOT for safety improvements, citing the lack of a left‑turn lane between Wildwood and Wemme.
- •The 1.26‑mile segment had about 40 driveways/side streets and saw 14 crashes in five years, including two fatalities.
- •ODOT began scoping a road‑widening project, which required FHWA NEPA and NHPA review.
- •Earlier challenges by CFASH led to archaeological review; Richard M. Pettigrew found no evidence supporting claims of a pioneer grave, though CFASH threatened legal action.