March 25, 2022

WSDOT reopens SR 112 after massive landslide

Photo from WSDOT [enlarge]

The massive landslide in November covered 400 feet of Route 112 near Clallam Bay.

After being closed for more than four months, a section of state Route 112 near Clallam Bay on the Olympic Peninsula reopened earlier this week to two-way travel. Washington State Department of Transportation closed the highway on Nov. 15 due to a massive landslide that took out 400 feet of roadway. Heavy rains and a big storm contributed to the landslide.

Scarsella Brothers cleared debris at milepost 15.8 and reopened the road under a $1.3 million emergency contract. This work involved stabilizing the adjacent slope, rebuilding the roadway, drainage repair, erosion control and seeding the hillside. WSDOT and Scarsella also partnered with local public utility crews to complete water main repairs during the closure.

WSDOT reports that crews finished paving last week and the eastbound lane settled 6 inches shortly afterward. Workers then removed the settled areas and rebuilt the eastbound lane with gravel. The gravel roadway will remain in place while geologists monitor the hillside.

Crews next week will perform final guardrail installation and slope seeding. During this time, flaggers will alternate travel lanes for motorists.

WSDOT says the highway sits on an active slide zone and presents ongoing maintenance challenges each winter season. WSDOT geologists have documented significant slide activity every 10-20 years, beginning in 1954. The agency says topographical and geological challenges along the highway require a calculated approach to address ongoing drainage, stability and debris concerns.

Farther east on Route 112, at milepost 32 near Jim Creek, the highway was closed after a section dropped nearly 4 feet as a result of a slide. Scarsella is also in charge of the work to get this section fixed under a $1.1 million emergency contract. This work is expected to begin Monday and take up to eight weeks to finish. It includes installing a combination of horizontal and trench drains, along with three new culverts, erosion control and new guardrails.

Scarsella last July had a third emergency contract, for $1.4 million, to reopen the highway near Jim Creek after another slide.

WSDOT says Route 112 is a vital link that connects the communities of Neah Bay and Clallam Bay to the rest of the Olympic Peninsula.