Date:  Monday, February 14, 2011

Contact: Abbi Russell, WSDOT Communications, 360-690-5367 (Vancouver)

Expect daytime single-lane traffic and flagging through the end of February

MEGLER – Crews will reopen State Route 401 (SR 401) between the Astoria-Megler Bridge and Naselle at 6 p.m. today, two weeks earlier than expected.

The Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) contractor, Tapani Underground Inc. of Battle Ground, worked seven days a week to excavate more than 2,000 dump-truck loads of dirt, rocks and debris.

Crews increased progress significantly by bringing in extra equipment and working around the clock.

Once the bottom portion of the hillside was stable enough, crews moved equipment onto the slope and started excavating from the top. This helped increase the amount of soil removed each day from 800 cubic yards to 4,000 cubic yards.

Drivers can expect single-lane traffic from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily while crews complete final stabilization and erosion control work. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

Both lanes of SR 401 will be open nightly from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. Work is expected to be complete by the end of February.

WSDOT closed SR 401 on Feb. 2 after a geotechnical investigation determined that a large section of the slope above SR 401 was highly unstable.

The $700,000 project is funded through state dollars

Updated photos of the slide and removal work are available on the WSDOT Flickr site.

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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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