The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said on Thursday that it has opened one lane on State Route 20 (SR 20) to traffic from Rockport to Concrete after the stretch was closed late last week when heavy rains caused an already unstable slope at milepost 92 to worsen, making the road too dangerous for drivers.
WSDOT maintenance crews first took note of the dangerous situation when they saw a large quantity of debris on the highway.
During the past week, construction crews redirected water runoff that was pouring into the top of the slide. They also eliminated unstable trees in the area and removed debris from the highway and ditch system. When the clearing was accessible, the crews were able to stabilize the slope’s movement so that traffic can safely use the road again. Crews also installed temporary signals to keep traffic flowing in a timely manner.
"We want to thank everyone for their patience during this emergency closure," WSDOT Assistant Regional Administrator David McCormick said. "We are pleased our contractors could complete the temporary repairs within a week, and that traffic is moving again."
At the moment, WSDOT is creating a plan to permanently stabilize the slope.
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