FORKS — The Sol Duc River bridge on Quillayute Road took another hit last week from what appeared to be a large piece of logging equipment, Clallam County Engineer Ross Tyler said.
The county road department already is fabricating a replacement part for earlier damage to the same overhead beam that was struck last winter by a load that exceeded the 14-foot-maximum height.
Keeping an eye out
Tyler sent a memo to Clallam County Chief Criminal Deputy Ron Cameron on Friday asking West End deputies to keep an eye out for vehicles that may be causing the damage.
“We’re not looking to recover damages,” Tyler said in a telephone interview.
“We just don’t want it to happen again.”
County commissioners in March approved a two-week closure of the West End bridge to allow crews to replace the damaged portals.
The closure will happen sometime between April 15 and May 13.
“I think this is going to take a lot less time than we allowed ourselves,” Tyler said.
The specific dates for the upcoming closure have not been announced.
Signs will be placed on the affected roads, and notice will be given on the county website, www.clallam.net.
During the closure, an alternate route will be available via LaPush, Mora and Quillayute roads.
Safe to drive on
Meanwhile, Tyler said, the damaged bridge is still safe to drive on.
He told commissioners last month that the same bridge was damaged “every year or so” by log trucks during the timber boom of the 1980s.
Loaded log trucks run west to east. Tyler believes the recent damage was caused by a yarder or other logging equipment moving east to west.
“We can’t afford to continue to repair damage like this, and if this trend continues, we will be forced to load-restrict this bridge to prevent use by large trucks,” Tyler said the memo.
“Someone knows who did this, and hopefully, the word will get out to the industry.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
