COSMOPOLIS – Repairs to an unstable slope on US 101 south of Cosmopolis in Grays Harbor County have wrapped up, bringing relief to travelers.

Earlier this month, Rognlin’s Inc. crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation finished paving, striping and sign installation along a one-mile stretch of US 101. Crews reopened the highway for a single lane of traffic in each direction.

This location on US 101 has historically experienced significant roadway settlement. During the two-year and $10 million contract to repair the unstable slope, crews drilled approximately 600 shaft columns up to 50 feet deep into the earth to support the roadway.

WSDOT would like to thank travelers for their patience during this important project.

Second slide still needs work

A second slide zone along this same highway nearly 1,000 feet away was discovered in January. Preparations to address this new settlement are underway and a contract for competitive bids is expected to be made available in 2021 with construction occurring later that year. Travelers will encounter alternating traffic conditions around-the-clock until this project is addressed and work completed.

HOQUIAM – Travelers whose plans include using the State Route 109 Spur in Hoquiam are encouraged to plan ahead for back-to-back daytime closures of the roadway later this month.

The closures will allow Washington State Department of Transportation crews to perform maintenance work and prepare for the winter storm season.

The SR 109 Spur will close to all traffic between US 101 and SR 109:

7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 30-31.
Drivers will detour via US 101 and SR 109.

Travelers who use US 101 near Cosmopolis or “Cosi Hill” in Grays Harbor County will need to plan for brief delays on Thursday, Oct. 24.

Weather permitting, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will repair cracks and repave portions of the roadway. This work requires one-way alternating traffic controlled by flaggers. Once the work is complete, traffic will resume to normal driving conditions and the “bump” signs removed.

This site is the location of an existing WSDOT project, which aims to stabilize a section of US 101 that has experienced chronic roadway settlement. A recent evaluation of the roadway by WSDOT Geotechnical Engineers determined the latest cracks are localized and not as deep as other earth movements observed in the past. The engineers believe this is in part due to the ongoing column and shaft work that began on the project earlier this summer.

The project is expected to be complete fall of 2020. WSDOT would like to thank travelers for their patience as crews work to address this long-term issue.