Date:
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Contact:
Dustin Terpening, WSDOT Communications, 360-757-5997 (Burlington)
Alan Soicher, WSDOT Environmental Manager, 360-757-5995 (Burlington)
Heavy rain last week pushed the Sauk River to near-flood levels, eroding the riverbank and moving the river to within several feet of SR 530 in two locations north of Darrington. Crews will start emergency repairs as early as Friday.
The trouble spots are near Jenkins Lane (between mileposts 59 and 60), and south of the Sauk River Bridge (milepost 56). The river has caused problems at both locations for many years, eroding the riverbank and threatening to undermine the highway. WSDOT just completed repairs to the section south of the Sauk River Bridge in November. Those repairs saved the road during the latest storms.
Crews will close one lane through both work zones 24 hours a day until the work is complete. The work is expected to take less than two weeks in both locations. Drivers should expect minor delays as flaggers direct alternating traffic through one open lane.
Under emergency contracts, Strider Construction will repair the section near Jenkins Lane, and Wilder Construction will make additional repairs to the section south of the Sauk River Bridge. Both jobs are expected to cost less than $500,000.
To repair the Jenkins Lane section, crews will build a 25-foot tall rock wall to reinforce the riverbank and protect the road. This is a temporary repair until WSDOT shifts SR 530 away from the river in 2009. In 2005, the Legislature gave WSDOT $3.1 million to design and build permanent protection for this section of SR 530.
At the other location, crews will use a combination of logs and rocks to reinforce the riverbank. This will help slow the river and shift its force away from the highway.
Recent repairs to this section of highway are functioning properly.
“The logs and rocks that we buried in the riverbank two months ago did exactly what they were supposed to do,” said engineering manager Jay Drye. “The Sauk River ate a good portion of the riverbank, but the rocks and logs kept the road intact.”
Crews will build upon what they already completed, further strengthening the riverbank.
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