Date:  Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Contact: Greg Phipps, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4702

BLACK DIAMOND – WSDOT crews have completed the emergency drill work on the unstable slope south of the Dan Evans Bridge over the Green River on State Route 169. WSDOT geotechnical experts have concluded the slope is too unstable to allow traffic on the northbound lane. The bridge will reopen to one lane of alternating traffic on the southbound lane by 7 p.m. Tuesday.

“Recent landslides have caused the earth adjacent to the road to drop by as much as 10 feet, undermining the roadbed to the point that our geotechnical experts say that the northbound lane needs to be closed,” said Lorena Eng, WSDOT Regional Administrator. “If we continued to allow regular traffic on the northbound lane, the roadbed could give way.”

Traffic info

• SR 169 over the Green River between Enumclaw and Black Diamond will be limited to one lane of alternating traffic.
• Signals will direct traffic over the bridge.
  Over legal weight and width trucks will not be allowed through this section of SR 169.

WSDOT hopes to start the emergency repair work as early as Monday, June 30. Crews will completely close the bridge to rebuild the section of the northbound roadway and guardrail that is undermined. WSDOT engineers expect the bridge to be fully closed for up to 14 days. If the emergency repairs are successful, the bridge will be reopened to traffic until a long-term fix can be constructed.

Detour for full closure
When WSDOT closes the bridge for emergency repairs, all vehicles will use the signed detour. The detour adds four miles to the trip and takes between five and 10 minutes. Drivers should budget this extra time into their travel plans.

• Northbound drivers will travel west on SE 400th Street to 236th Avenue SE. Drivers will go right at 218th Place SE to connect to Auburn-Black Diamond Road. This road reconnects with SR 169.
• Southbound drivers will take Auburn-Black Diamond Road to 218th Place SE. This road turns into 212th Avenue SE. Drivers will turn left at SE 400th Street SE to reconnect to SR 169.
• WSDOT will make every effort to allow emergency vehicles access through the area during construction.
• Local traffic may access the area inside the closure points, but may not use the bridge.

What’s next?
Tuesday’s drilling will provide WSDOT geotechnical experts the information they need to determine the extent and location of the worst areas. Based on this information they will recommend a short-term solution to stabilize the slope. That work will begin as early as Monday, June 30. Crews will stabilize the failing slope and rebuild the undermined section of the northbound roadway and guardrail.

In the long term the entire unstable area adjacent to the highway will need to have a wall constructed alongside it that will be anchored in the underlying bedrock. This long-term fix must be completed before the heavy fall rains in October. Drivers can expect total closures of the bridge during that repair work.

WSDOT has created a Web page at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR169/GreenRiverRepair/ that will provide regular updates on the SR 169 repairs and closures.

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