SEKIU – Olympic Peninsula travelers near Beaver will want to plan extra time into their commutes over the next few weeks.
As soon as Monday, May 16, Bruch and Bruch Construction, Inc. crews will begin work to unclog a culvert 70 feet beneath State Route 113/Burnt Mountain Road near milepost 6.55.
Flaggers will alternate traffic through the work zone. During construction, travelers may see crews place large rocks near the embankment to stabilize the hillside. Work will take place each Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. until early July.
What happened
Winter storms and heavy rains clogged the culvert in late 2021. In February 2022, Washington State Department of Transportation’s first emergency contractor, Interwest Construction, began clearing large debris around the pipe and hillside. After further inspection, crews discovered the culvert was not only blocked, but damaged in multiple locations and needs replacement.
Replacing the culvert will allow crews to remove a costly water pumping operation put in place at the site earlier this year. Pumping water is necessary to prevent flooding and preserve the integrity of the road until the new pipe is installed.
WSDOT is pursuing an immediate temporary fix to the culvert. Future repairs will happen later as the barrier is part of WSDOT’s fish passage correction program.
This $2.5 million project is separate from the emergency contracts underway along SR 112 in two locations due to landslides at Clallam Bay and Jim Creek.
Remember to slow down in work zones and watch for road crews.
Clallam County travelers are encouraged to sign up for email updates. Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT app and WSDOT regional Twitter account.