SR 112/Jim Creek West - Emergency Repairs - Complete June 2022

State Route 112 connects the coastal communities of Neah Bay, Pysht and Joyce to the rest of the Olympic Peninsula. The highway sits on an active slide zone and presents maintenance challenges every year as landsides and storms regularly close this route.

Our engineering geologists have documented significant slide activity every 10-20 years, beginning in 1954. The topographical and geological challenges along SR 112 require a calculated approach to address ongoing drainage, stability, and debris concerns.

Leading up to the Nov. 15 storm, a month's worth of rain had already fallen in the Olympic Peninsula in less than two weeks. The soil was saturated, and the rivers were high.

Then the storm brought another round of heavy rain, coupled with high tides and wind, which hit the peninsula with a vengeance. SR 112 was closed in multiple locations due to landslides, settlement issues, clogged culverts and other damaging results. WSDOT maintenance crews from other areas including Kitsap, Grays Harbor and Mason counties aided in clean up efforts. 

In July 2021, WSDOT completed a $1.4 million emergency contract to reopen SR 112 near Jim Creek. Due to the complexity in design and recurring damage from severe weather and storms, WSDOT is pursuing a long-term design solutions of the site. Designers have recommended horizontal and trench drains to better move water through the slide zone prior to rebuilding the roadway. Work will also include replacement of three damaged culvert pipes, new guardrail installation and erosion control.