Date:  Thursday, June 03, 2010

Contact: Chris Tams, Columbia Gorge Area Engineer, 866-279-0730 toll-free (Vancouver)
Abbi Russell, WSDOT Communications, (360) 905-2058 (Vancouver)

STEVENSON – Drivers on SR 14 near Dog Mountain (milepost 54) have patiently handled two-hour weekday morning closures for blasting since March. Starting June 15, WSDOT’s contractor on the SR 14 Rockfall Mitigation project transitions to a multiple closure schedule for rock scaling until the project is complete in September.

June 15 through September 2, SR 14 near Dog Mountain will be closed in pre-scheduled two-hour intervals and open for an hour in between:

• 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. – CLOSED
• 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – OPEN to single-lane traffic
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – CLOSED
• 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – OPEN to single-lane traffic
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. – CLOSED
• 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day – OPEN to single-lane traffic

Drivers are encouraged to take alternate routes during closures, including Oregon’s I-84. During openings, traffic on SR 14 will pass through the work zone in a single lane, alternating directions, controlled by flaggers. An automated signal will control single-lane traffic at night.

WSDOT originally announced a total of four two-hour closures between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. each weekday, June 15 through September 2. Through coordination and careful planning, WSDOT and its contractor have eliminated one of these closures and shifted to a later start time to help accommodate commuters.

“The changes we’ve made should make these closures easier for drivers to work around,” said Columbia Gorge Area Engineer Chris Tams. “We’re very appreciative of drivers’ patience, and hope to finish work as safely and quickly as possible so we can get at least one lane of SR 14 open around the clock.”

Changing the closure schedule will not affect the overall project timeline.

The Dog Mountain trail and trailhead parking lot will be open during the SR 14 closures.

Drivers can stay current on traffic impacts and closure information by signing up to receive e-mail updates from WSDOT. To sign up, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/SR14/RockfallMitigationWhiteSalmon and click on “E-mail updates” in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

The SR 14 Rockfall Mitigation project helps improve safety on SR 14 by removing loose rock, unstable soil, trees and other debris from slopes above the highway. Funded through federal highway improvement dollars, the project is scheduled for completion in September 2010.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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