PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Columbia River Scenic Highway has been closed over coronavirus concerns, but drivers and cyclists still keep flocking there despite the posted warning signs. Officials from State Parks are now manning roadblocks at the closures to make sure people respect the rules.

A manager with Oregon State Parks said that they had to physically man the barriers there because people were moving them aside in order to take a scenic drive into the Gorge. Clay Courtright, an Oregon State Parks manager for the Columbia River Gorge, said last Sunday kicked off a lot of bad behavior because it was a beautiful spring day and people were flooding into the Gorge to try to get out of their homes and enjoy the sunshine. He said he saw around 200 cars pass by Vista House along.

Courtright said Saturday things have calmed down a little bit, but they still saw more than 70 cars approach the roadblock in six hours. He said only seven of those cars were residents who are allowed to pass through.

Oregon State Parks officials staff road closures along the Columbia River Scenic Highway. April 11, 2020 (KOIN)

“Folks were not respecting the closure,” said Courtright. “They would move cones and park sites and got in and park, so we would have to go in and talk to folks and ask folks to leave and provide education. We are doing it in a respectful manner—to maintain social distancing—but folks need to respect the closure. It’s not an ask, it’s a closure site.”

He said they have also found evidence of people sneaking into the parks in the Gorge at night, which are also closed. The violation for going past the closure is a Class C Misdemeanor and can cost offenders anywhere from around $1,250 to $2,100.

Courtright said some parts of the highway do open after 8 p.m. to traffic, but the parks are still off limits.