Date:  Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Contact:  
Joe Irwin, WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2703
Jerry Moore, Project Engineer, 360-565-0622

Crews reopen one lane Saturday, work continues

CLALLAM COUNTY – The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Makah Nation tag-teamed the SR 112 landslide, punching through an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 cubic yards of dirt, rock and trees to reopen one lane at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15.

The route was closed for about 21 hours following the slide Friday night, which buried 150 feet of roadway, blocking access to the Makah Indian Reservation.

Now, WSDOT and Bruch and Bruch Construction, Inc., a Port Angeles-based contractor, are working hard to reopen both lanes of SR 112. After mobilizing trucks and crews to the remote site near Rasmussen Creek Sunday, the contractor began efforts to clear the rest of the roadway Monday and was off to a good start, having removed 500 cubic yards.

“We’re hoping to reopen both lanes later this week, and sincerely appreciate the patience and assistance of the Makah Nation – they’ve been amazing to work with,” said Kevin Dayton, region administrator with WSDOT. “We are also very pleased with the contractor’s progress in such a short amount of time.”

Bruch and Bruch’s emergency contract operations on SR 112 will continue one-way, alternating traffic until the slide is cleared and debris is removed. WSDOT engineers then will assess the condition of the roadway and make necessary repairs to ensure the approximately 820 vehicles that travel this section each day can do so safely.

WSDOT’s work to improve SR 112 over the years includes realigning the roadway, adding guardrail, stabilizing slopes, improving drainage structures and installing improved signage. Find out more about WSDOT’s most recent projects on SR 112 in 2008 and 2009, or WSDOT’s unstable slope management system.

Editor’s Note: Photos of the landslide and clearing operations are available on the WSDOT flickr site.

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