Roadway reopened with a gravel driving surface; Final paving scheduled for 2023
CARBONADO – Emergency repair work at two slide locations on State Route 165, just south of Carbonado, has been completed, with final paving coming in the new year, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced Friday, Dec. 9.
Contractor crews have removed the temporary signals at the slide locations, between mileposts 10.93 and 11.72, and SR 165 reopened with a crushed rock driving surface. Final paving will occur in February or March 2023, when the weather allows.
While the slide repairs are complete, travelers should be aware that alternating one-way traffic across the Fairfax Bridge – located within the emergency work zone – will continue. The alternating traffic was in place before the slides and is due to the bridge’s age. A stop sign will control the alternating traffic as it did before the slides.
Why repairs were needed
Following heavy rain on Jan. 7, 2022, the highway experienced settlement, dips, shoulder drop-offs and washouts. WSDOT maintenance crews used barrier and a temporary signal to keep one-lane of the highway open for travelers while WSDOT geologists surveyed the adjacent hillsides and roadway for a permanent repair.
Design and construction costs for the project are $1.2 million; Scarsella Brothers, Inc., was awarded the emergency repair contract.
Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT statewide travel map, the WSDOT app and WSDOT regional Twitter account.