PORT ANGELES – One week after reopening state Highway 112 near Clallam Bay following a landslide, work begins nearly 15 miles east to reopen a second site near Jim Creek.
State Department of Transportation’s emergency contractor, Scarsella Bros., will start site preparations on state Highway 112 at milepost 32 on Monday.
The highway will remain closed to travelers during construction after heavy rains caused it to drop four feet last November.
Work will include removing the guardrail, clearing fallen vegetation, excavating the roadway 20 feet below grade level, installing drainage and rebuilding the roadway. Repairs are expected to take eight weeks to complete. Travelers will continue to detour around the slide location using U.S. Highway 101 and state Highway 113.
“Our approach to fix the highway near Jim Creek is more long-term than previous repairs,” said Project Engineer Dan McKernan. “Creating stormwater drainage will be key to stabilizing this site and helping water better move through the area.”
In July, DOT completed a $1.4 million emergency contract to reopen state Highway 112 at the same location after heavy rains caused the roadway to drop 13 feet.
“Due to the topographical and geological condition of this active slide zone, design and hydraulic engineers have had to take a calculated approach to fixing it,” DOT said in a press release.
For more information, see www.wsdot.wa.gov.
