US 101/SR 113 detour will remain in place during the repair work
SEIKU – After four months of environmental permitting and design work, there is good news for Olympic Peninsula travelers between Neah Bay and Port Angeles. Starting Thursday, April 29, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will begin work to reopen State Route 112 in Clallam County. The most serious roadway damage occurred near Jim Creek, where crews will first begin construction of a mesh retaining wall to support the highway above.
Scarsella Brothers, Inc. crews will work six days a week inside the closure area on SR 112 to repair six slide sites that began in late December. The highway will remain closed between mileposts 31 and 39. Travelers will continue to detour using US 101 and SR 113 during construction.
“Work will occur in phases with crews beginning excavations near Twin Beach at milepost 37, where portions of the roadway have dropped 13 feet,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Dan McKernan.
In an effort to reopen sections of the highway as quickly as possible, some portions of SR 112 may reopen as temporary gravel surfaces. Crews anticipate to fully reopen the highway by late July.
Background
On Dec. 21, 2020, high temperatures, heavy rains, snow and seasonal tides forced maintenance crews to close an 8-mile section of SR 112. When crews inspected the roadway for potential reopening, they found roadway settlement in three separate locations. As rains continued to fall in the weeks that followed, three additional locations were identified.
History of slide activity
Geotechnical engineers have documented significant slide activity every 10-20 years beginning in 1954 after the highway was transferred to WSDOT from Clallam County in the 1930s. The last major slide event was in 2009. The topographical and geological challenges along SR 112 require a specially calculated approach to address ongoing drainage, stability and debris concerns.
Olympic Peninsula travelers are encouraged to sign up for email updates. Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT app and WSDOT regional Twitter account.
