Date:  Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Contact: Denys Tak, WSDOT Kelso Area Engineer, 1-800-545-1393 (Kelso)
Heidi Sause, WSDOT Communications, 360-905-2057 (Vancouver)

STELLA – Between landslides, falling rocks and the resulting highway construction projects, drivers on State Route 4 between Cathlamet and Longview have had a long spring.

With the final piece of rockfall fence anchored in place Tuesday, June 21, crews completed a landslide repair project near Stella and cleared the road for drivers heading into summer.

“Drivers have been very patient these past few months and we appreciate it,” said Area Engineer Denys Tak. “I don’t think anyone would have requested a spring like this, but the work we accomplished will help protect drivers from falling rocks and improve safety for years to come.”

SR 4 was closed near Germany Creek Road (milepost 50) on April 5 when a landslide covered the highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) hired Scarsella Brothers Inc. of Seattle through a $350,000 emergency contract, and crews worked through April and May to stabilize the hillside above the roadway.

Meanwhile, WSDOT completed a pre-planned rock scaling project just east of Cathlamet (milepost 39). Contractor Janod Inc. of Dorian, Quebec, began work May 16, and used two scaling crews to tackle the $380,000 project and complete the work ahead of schedule on May 24.

Both projects were funded through state highway improvement dollars.

WSDOT prioritizes unstable slopes and rockfall projects on a statewide basis and has dedicated $300 million to evaluate, prioritize and mitigate slope issues through the Unstable Slope Management System (USMS).

###

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 511.

To unsubscribe to WSDOT media releases please reply and type REMOVE in the subject line.

< Go Back