WSDOT will replace the US 101 Elwha River Bridge in Port Angeles after serving the community for nearly a century. Replacing the bridge will ensure that the US 101 route continues to be a reliable transportation facility for decades to come.
The new bridge will be 40 feet wide and accommodate two 12-foot lanes with two-8 foot shoulders (the current bridge is 28 feet wide). A wider bridge will create a more comfortable crossing for travelers and provide adequate shoulder room for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additionally, the new alignment with US 101/Olympic Hot Springs Road will have a more gentle curvature, with a higher design speed (35 mph) at the east end of the bridge.
The new bridge is open to traffic. Work continues as crews will now begin demolishing the old bridge and continue installing engineered log jams. The new bridge will also get permanent striping, permanent signing and a high friction surface treatment. Travelers will see occasional one-way alternating traffic with flaggers during work hours.
Built in 1926, the 3-span, 388-foot concrete arch bridge has served the community for more nearly 100 years. Over the last several years, the Elwha River has dramatically changed its course and flow, leading to significant erosion around the bridge foundations. As a result, WSDOT estimates the riverbed around the bridge’s piers has lowered 14 feet.
The lowered riverbed revealed the piers’ seals, prompting WSDOT to do borings to verify the depth of the foundations. The borings, done in October 2016, revealed the foundations are on gravel, not bedrock. This finding was in contrast to what the original 1926 engineering plans showed. As a result, WSDOT immediately installed almost 5,000 tons of riprap (large boulders) around both piers to help prevent further erosion. Additional bridge monitoring using tilt meters, crack meters, water flow meters, surveys and visual observations are underway until the bridge can be replaced.
Historical timeline of events
1913 - Elwha Dam was built
1926 - The US 101 Elwha River Bridge was built
1927 - Glines Canyon Dam was built
1954 - US 101 Elwha River Bridge was widened from a 20-foot bridge to 28 feet
2012 - Elwha Dam was removed
2014 - Glines Canyon Dam was removed
WSDOT remains committed in continuing to work with local and regulatory partners in this project including Federal Highway Administration, Department of Interior, Olympic National Park, Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Department of Ecology, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Corps of Engineers and area jurisdictions.
Additional project benefits include
Transit stops on both the west and east ends of the bridge, locations of which were coordinated with Clallam Transit;
Relocating the intersection further east to provide better sight lines and intersection geometrics;
Installing illumination at the intersection (no illumination is there presently);
Building turn pockets on US 101 to Olympic Hot Springs Road;
Building a short acceleration lane on northbound US 101 from Olympic Hot Springs Road;
Restore the parking access that was there before with a gravel parking lot.
Elwha River Bridge public outreach
From 2016 to 2018, WSDOT staff held six public meetings with various stakeholder groups:
Forks Business and Professional Association | Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018
Forks Chamber of Commerce | Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018
Port Angeles City Council Chambers | Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018
Port Angeles City Council Chambers | Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017
Rainforest Arts Center, Forks | Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017
Vern Burton Center, Port Angeles | Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016
The Federal Highway Administration and Olympic National Park issued a joint Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Errata for US 101 Elwha River Bridge Replacement on November 22, 2021.
WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration published the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the US 101 Elwha River Bridge Replacement Project on July 19, 2021. The comment period ended on August 18, 2021.
Bridge piers evaluated after river changed course.
Summer 2017 - Fall 2021
Ongoing environmental review and public outreach.
October 2022
Project advertised
February 2023
Project awarded
April 17, 2023
Construction begins
July 21, 2024
New bridge opens to traffic
Financial Data for PIN 310135F
Funding Source
Amount ($ in thousands)
2003 Gas Tax (Nickel Funding)
$0
2005 Gas Tax (TPA)
$0
Pre-Existing Funds (PEF)
$41,690
CWA
$252
Total
$41,942
A design visual of what the proposed crossing will look like, including the restored gravel lot on the east end near Olympic Hot Springs Road.
Elwha bridge piers were discovered to be built on gravel, not bedrock. Erosion has significantly damaged the piers after the river changed course and flow over the years.
The new US 101 alignment will provide a much gentle curve with Olympic Hot Springs Road, wider lanes across the bridge, added illumination and transit stops.
The Elwha River Bridge will close for 9 days in the summer of 2024. Travelers will have to detour around the closure on SR 112 and SR 113.
