Hard working WSDOT crews are doing everything necessary to get the job done during the storm. WSDOT Maintenance Supervisor Brent Schiller and his crewmembers Frank Clark, Aaron Corliss and Dan Bourgault were called in to work at about 5:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2. The storm was in full force. Schiller knew as they headed north from Shelton that they probably would not be able to return home because they would be beyond the Skokomish River, which was rapidly reaching flood stage.
Their goal was to help people trapped behind the slide north of Hoodsport. They worked hard all day and were able to open a lane at eight different slide locations so trapped people could get to Hoodsport. After an exhausting day and knowing that they faced many more long work days, they decided to quit for the night. By 9:30 p.m. Schiller and his crew grabbed some food for dinner from the local gas station, which was the only place food was available. They needed to find shelter for the night to get rest before another day of hard work. To Schiller’s dismay, he was only able to rent one suite at the Sunrise Hotel in Hoodsport – all the other rooms were taken. The hotel staff brought in rollaway beds and although the workers were unable to sleep in their own beds and be with their own families, they were able to stay warm and dry and get some rest.
The detour route for the Skokomish River was put in place the next day as the water receded. The crew is now cleaning up debris, mud, gravel and trees, repairing roadways, drainage and eroded shoulders.