PORT ANGELES — Heavy rain last month flushed Elwha River sediment through the U.S. Highway 101 bridge like a fire hose, a state official said.
Thanks to a series of storms in early to mid-December that dropped about a foot of rain in the Elwha River watershed, a big batch of sand and gravel that had accumulated behind the 89-year-old span is headed to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
“It’s actually reduced the pressure on the bridge,” said Doug Adamson, state Department of Transportation spokesman.
“It’s less of a fire hose.”
The Elwha crested at flood stage Dec. 10, eroding the banks and causing trees to fall over the bridge.
Downed trees blocked the highway from about 4:30 p.m. Dec. 10 to about 6 a.m. Dec. 11, requiring a lengthy detour around state Highways 112 and 113.
Power was knocked out to 564 electrical customers west of Port Angeles when a tree fell into a line near the bridge on the evening of Dec. 10, Clallam County Public Utility District officials said.
“We did proactively work with utilities to remove vegetation from the nearby embankments that washed away,” Adamson said in a Wednesday interview.
“We removed a lot of the trees, working with utilities, beforehand.”
Throughout the three storms, about a foot of rain fell in the Elwha River watershed, according to the National Weather Service.
Transportation officials say the bridge and its supports remain structurally sound.
“Right now, we have no concerns for the effects [of the storms] on the bridge,” Adamson said.
“This is something we do keep an eye on.”
The two-lane bridge over the Elwha was built in 1926 — predating the U.S. 101 designation by eight years — and rebuilt 33 years later.
“There were significant modifications that were made in 1959,” Adamson said.
The state Transportation Department is known for its bridges and inspection program, Adamson said.
It was among the first agencies in the nation to regularly inspect its bridges before such checkups became a federal requirement.
“Safety is absolutely paramount,” Adamson said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
