Travelers who use State Route 4 near Cathlamet may experience delays as crews begin phase two of long-term slope stabilization work on KM Mountain in Wahkiakum County.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor Granite Construction Company will resume work to remove debris and stabilize the hillside adjacent to the highway, where a landslide occurred in January 2020 along SR 4, west of Cathlamet.
“Design work on this long-term hillside repair work was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, hiring freezes and mandatory furloughs for state employees,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Joanna Lowrey. “We appreciate travelers’ patience as work resumes to stabilize the hillside and return travel in both directions of roadway.”
What to expect during construction?
- Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 30, travelers on both directions of SR 4 between Loop Road and West Valley Road will see equipment and crews starting work again.
- This section of SR 4 will be reduced to a single lane around-the-clock until work is complete later this year.
- For safety, the speed limit throughout the work zone is reduced to 25 mph.
During construction, crews will remove dirt and debris from the slide area, install stormwater control systems and repair or replace culverts under the highway. Work also includes the repair of the highway and area logging roads that were used and damaged during stabilization efforts.
Before heading out the door, drivers can get up-to-date traffic information with the WSDOT mobile app and the WSDOT Travel Alerts page.