Good news for residents on the west end of the county. State Highway 112 has finally been reopened to two-way traffic between Sappho and Neah Bay after being closed for more than three months by a massive landslide November 15th. 

While state transportation crews reopened the roadway at 6pm Monday near Clallam Bay additional monitoring will still be required. Even after completion of paving last week, the highway settled an additional six inches in the eastbound lane.  That section has been rebuilt with gravel. The graveled portion of the roadway will remain in place while geologists monitor the hillside.  Eagle Crest Way, a service road being used as a detour around the slide has been returned to its private property owners and is closed to travel to the public.  Another second of the highway is still in need of repair further east near Jim Creek.  Construction at that site is expected to begin later this month and will reopen to travelers in late spring.

Emergency slide repairs are beginning today on State Route 112 near Jim Creek on the west end of Clallam County 15 miles east from where the highway was finally reopened near Clallam Bay a week ago.  The highway dropped four feet at Jim Creek following last November’s storms and heavy rain. Work will include removing guardrail, clearing fallen vegetation, excavating the roadway 20 feet below grade level, installing drainage and rebuilding the roadway The State Transportation department says repairs are expected to take eight weeks to complete. Travelers will continue to detour around the slide location using US Highway 101 and State Highway 113.