Date:
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Contact:
Leon Winger, Project Engineer, 360-442-1346
Kevin Miller, Assistant Area Engineer, 360-442-1353
Sylvia Ross, WSDOT Communications, 360-905-2058
STELLA - Two contractors began work to reopen State Route 4 as soon as possible after Saturday’s closure near the town of Stella, announced the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Work began this morning, by two separate contractors, to stabilize the unstable slope above the roadway. A third contractor will begin work later today.
Ostrander Rock & Construction Co. and Hi-Tech Rockfall Construction both began work to scale the loose rock above the roadway that has kept maintenance crews from clearing the slide on the roadway, and prohibited WSDOT engineers from re-opening the road to traffic. Currently, crews are knocking down boulders and trees. The scaling and stabilizing work will continue until the rock bluff above the roadway is safe enough for vehicles to travel through the area. Later today, third contractor, Pacific Blasting Co. will also be working on site to scale rock.
WSDOT is continuing to assess the situation and will allow a single lane opening when engineers are comfortable that the conditions are safe and all larger material is removed. Safety of the public and work crews is WSDOT’s primary concern.
“Most likely, we will make the earliest provisions for emergency service vehicles to pass through the closure area,” said Don Wagner, Regional Administrator for the Southwest Region of WSDOT. Eventually, when we have enough confidence in the stability of the hillside, we will open to traffic on limited basis, while repair work continues.
WSDOT estimates that all traffic will be able to pass through during limited hours early next week, but at this time, no details are available. The time of opening depends on the stability of the slope. Crews are currently working as fast as possible with the highest degree of safety possible, and will continue to do so until the damage is repaired and traffic is restored to normal.
The slide happened during the windy conditions on February 4. The impacted section of the highway is at mile post 50 near Bunker Hill.
For further weather-related traffic impacts, please visit WSDOT’s Highway Weather Impacts web page at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Weather/updates/default.htm.
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Note to the media: Guided media tours of the SR 4 rockslide work zone are available upon request. Please call Leon Winger in Kelso, WA at 360-442-1346 or Sylvia Ross in Vancouver, WA at 360-905-2058.
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