Travelers will continue to detour via Eagle Crest Way around the slide until complete
CLALLAM BAY – After weeks of recurring storms, safety considerations, design work and permitting, there is good news for Olympic Peninsula travelers between Neah Bay and Sappho.
Beginning Monday, Jan. 31, Washington State Department of Transportation’s emergency contractor, Scarsella Brothers will begin site preparations to reopen State Route 112 at milepost 15.8 near Clallam Bay. Through a $1.3 million emergency contract, crews will remove 40,000 cubic yards of debris from the road, rebuild a portion of the highway, stabilize the adjacent slope, conduct drainage and guardrail repairs, erosion control and hillside seeding. The highway will remain closed during construction.
A landslide closed the site on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021.
Travelers will continue to follow a temporary bypass route around the slide via Eagle Crest Way until repairs are complete. The route was established on Dec. 3, 2021, to keep people and resources moving to nearby communities affected by the closure. Eagle Crest Way is a privately-owned road. WSDOT was able to successfully obtain temporary permits from property owners to keep traffic moving. People should travel slowly on the gravel road, as lane widths are narrow with limited sight distance.
Background
The Nov. 15 storm that hit western Washington had a significant effect on the Olympic Peninsula, closing US 101 and State Routes 112, 113 and 110 in multiple locations. While WSDOT maintenance crews from nearby areas worked around-the-clock to reopen dozens of sites, locations like the Clallam Bay slide require extensive design and hydraulic work, including permits to begin construction off state right of way to stabilize the slope and further movement.
“We know how important this route is to the Neah Bay and Clallam Bay communities, including the Clallam Bay Correctional Facility,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Dan McKernan. “We are eager to get to work to reopen SR 112 at Clallam Bay in approximately 8 weeks.”
History of slide activity
WSDOT engineering geologists have documented significant slide activity every 10 to 20 years, beginning in 1954. The topographical and geological challenges along SR 112 require a calculated approach to address ongoing drainage, stability, and debris concerns. WSDOT is pursuing a long-term fix to address these concerns and reopen the highway.
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.