Date:  Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Contact: Bill Riley, Maintenance Superintendent, 360-565-0684
             Emily Pace, WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2716

PORT ANGELES – State Route 112 remains closed to traffic following a massive landslide Jan. 8, 2009, west of Joyce in Clallam County. The earth beneath the roadway continues to move, posing major safety concerns for crews.

“It could be several weeks before it’s safe for crews to get in there and assess the full extent of the damage,” said WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator Kevin Dayton.

“Landslides are a common problem along this coastal highway during winter months,” Dayton said. “However, the magnitude of this slide is much more significant than in recent years.”

A 500-foot section of roadway is severely damaged. WSDOT is closely monitoring the slide, which continues to move downhill and further destabilize the slope beneath the roadway.

Crews closed a mile-long stretch of SR 112 at 6 p.m. Thursday at West Twin Rivers, milepost 37. The slide buckled pavement and caused the road to sink up to eight feet in certain areas.

A detour route is available. Drivers headed west from Port Angeles can take US 101, to SR 113 back to SR 112. Motorists traveling east from destinations such as Neah Bay or Sekiu should take SR 113 to US 101.

An average of 1,000 vehicles travel the stretch of highway daily.

Pictures of the slide are available on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157612323544615/.

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