Date:
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Contact:
Paul Gonseth, WSDOT Engineer, (509) 577-1810 (Yakima)
Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications, (509) 577-1617 (Yakima)
YAKIMA– WSDOT maintenance crews and construction engineers are proceeding with an emergency contract to save the highway from the swollen Naches River that is devouring the foundation of US 12 in Yakima near the 16th Avenue exit and two locations near Naches.
US 12 westbound in Yakima: Until further notice, traffic will be restricted to one lane (24 hours per day) on US 12 westbound between the 16th and 40th Avenue exits. The contractor will be working during daylight hours Monday through Saturday.
US 12 eastbound between Naches and Yakima: As soon as the westbound location work is complete, eastbound traffic will be restricted to one lane (24 hours per day), for rock placements in two adjacent locations, just 2 miles east of Naches. The embankment has eroded past the fence line at both locations and any more high water flows will undermine the guardrail and damage the pavement.
WSDOT has hired KLB Construction Inc. to do emergency work to steer the Naches River away from the roadway. Large rocks, referred to as “riprap," will be carefully placed in the river and along the roadbed in sharp triangular shapes called “barbs." These barbs extend out into the river to force the current to be deflected away from the road’s foundation.
For more information on construction, maintenance and utilities work visit: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/SouthCentral/Construction/
< Back to News Home