Last week, Interwest Construction Inc. (ICI) finished tying the rebar, building the formwork, and then placed the concrete for the end-walls of the Canyon Creek bridge.
ICI also completed construction of the 3 Engineered Log Jam units (ELJs) along the bank of the Hoh River at MP 7.5 and began the construction of the ELJs starting at MP 4.5.
Each ELJ unit consists of 37 concrete dolos with 110-150 ft³ of logs chained to each dolos, 14 logs with root wads intact, 60 yd³ of riprap to armor the upstream end, 400 yd³ of wood brush to fill remaining voids, and 200 yd³ of streambed material to fill in the embankment behind the ELJ.
Impacts to Traffic:
• The following work zones can be expected between MP 3 and MP 11 on Upper Hoh Road:
MP 4.5: Temporary Traffic Signal for ELJ construction
MP 10: Temporary Traffic Signal for construction of Canyon Creek Bridge
• Travelers should expect to experience delays at each of these locations, up to a total delay of 30 minutes per passage through the project corridor Monday through Saturday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Olympic National Park and businesses along Upper Hoh Road will remain accessible at all times during construction.
More on the project
On June 9, 2021, FHWA Contact Alec Harrison shared some detailed information, with the Forks Chamber of Commerce, on the $15 million project which was awarded to a Sequim contractor last February.
Harrison shared that after public meetings in 2015 the project was put into motion. The idea to completely move the road up and away from the river was deemed not feasible. Harrison said that the plan that went ahead was most cost-effective for the long term.
The plan that looks to offer bank stabilization was selected after evaluating alternatives and potential methods for reducing the flow of the Hoh River.
Stabilization methods other than rip rap and log bundles, which were been used in the past, with not much success, were looked at. The design decided upon included two new bridges, engineered log jams, and a box culvert.
Scale model testing was done to determine the locations of the concrete dolo-log bundles; creating engineered log jams (ELJ’s). Harrison said that it was hoped that the ELJ’s would shift, settle and adjust over time to the flow of the river.
Permitting to work in the river bed began on July 15 and will continue through August 31.
During the presentation, Hoh area resident Pat Neal voiced his concerns about the timing of the work in the river interfering with fish habitat. Harrison stated that the permitting was done through other agencies.
Neal also had concerns regarding the man-made log jams saying that the most recent drownings in the Hoh involved some sort of log jam. Other concerns regarding work in the river during this time were people recreating on the river. Harrison stated that signage would be used to warn those recreating.
The Hoh road project will continue through September 2023. It is hoped that when Forks Chamber meetings resume in October that Harrison and others involved with the project will return to answer more questions.
