OLYMPIA — The state Department of Transportation plans routine inspections of bridges in Clallam and Grays Harbor counties in August.
While the inspections are occurring, traffic will be reduced to a single alternating lane at each bridge with flaggers providing traffic control.
The inspection times are approximate, and depend on the crew’s rate of progress, Transportation said in a news release.
Here is the schedule.
• Monday — Morning to early afternoon, U.S. Highway 101 Elwha River Bridge, west of Port Angeles; afternoon, state Highway 112 Elwha River Bridge, west of Port Angeles; afternoon to early evening, state Highway 112 Lyre River Bridge, west of Joyce.
• Tuesday, Aug. 7 — Morning to early afternoon, state Highway 112 Falls Creek Bridge, near Sekiu; afternoon, state Highway 112 Green Creek Bridge, east of Clallam Bay; afternoon to early evening, state Highway 110 Bogachiel River Bridge, west of Forks.
• Wednesday, Aug. 8 — Morning to early afternoon, state Highway 105 O’Leary Creek Bridge, near Westport.
Transportation plans to begin construction next summer on a replacement of the present Elwha River bridge on Highway 101.
The existing concrete arch bridge has been undermined by erosion since the removal of the Elwha Dam and the Glines Canyon Dam, which was completed in 2014.
The bridge built in 1926 has lost sediment around its support columns and has been buttressed with almost 5,000 tons of heavy rip-rap to keep in place what sediment is left.
The bridge is safe for travel, engineers have said.
Additional information about the status of the US 101 Elwha River Bridge, including how to receive alerts, is available at www.elwhariverbridge.com.
