PORT ANGELES – One week after reopening State Route 112 near Clallam Bay following a landslide, work begins nearly 15 miles east to reopen a second site near Jim Creek.
Washington State Department of Transportation’s emergency contractor, Scarsella Bros., will start site preparations on SR 112 at milepost 32 on Monday, March 28. The highway will remain closed to travelers during construction after heavy rains caused it to drop four feet last November.
Work includes:
- Removing guardrail
- Clearing fallen vegetation
- Excavating the roadway 20 feet below grade level
- Installing drainage
- Rebuilding the roadway
Repairs are expected to take eight weeks to complete. Travelers will continue to detour around the slide location using US 101 and SR 113.
“Our approach to fix the highway near Jim Creek is more long term than previous repairs,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Dan McKernan. “Creating stormwater drainage will be key to stabilizing this site and helping water better move through the area.”
History of slide activity
In July 2021, WSDOT completed a $1.4 million emergency contract to reopen SR 112 at the same location after heavy rains caused the roadway to drop 13 feet. Due to the topographical and geological condition of this active slide zone, design and hydraulic engineers have had to take a calculated approach to fixing it.
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.