Date:  Monday, January 12, 2009

Contact: Bronlea Mishler, WSDOT communications, 360-757-5947 (Burlington)
Chris Damitio, WSDOT project engineer, 360-788-7400 (Bellingham)

Crews have removed slide debris, will reinstall culvert, rebuild roadway

DEMING – Crews working to repair and reopen a section of SR 542 damaged by a mudslide Jan. 8 east of Deming are making rapid progress. One lane was reopened to traffic at 1 a.m. Jan. 9; crews hope to complete repairs and reopen both lanes to traffic by Jan. 16.

As part of the repair effort, crews will need to close the road overnight tonight to install a new 48-inch culvert. The closure will start at 9 p.m. and the road will reopen by 7 a.m. Tuesday. Traffic will be detoured around the work area using SR 9 and SR 547. Local access will be provided for emergency vehicles.

Crews have been working around the clock since the slide came down Jan. 8 to remove debris and repair damage to the existing roadway. The slide damaged a culvert that diverts water under the highway, knocked down power poles and lines and undermined a 300-foot section of the road.

To view pictures of the slide, visit our Flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157612329354100/.  

Some of the woody debris removed from the slide area will be saved and used for future restoration efforts in the area.

As this is an active slide area, as well as a work area, there are still many dangers present. The contractor has asked that the public stay away from this area.

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