WA state route 401 could re-open to one lane through slide area in April
Local Washington residents have been wondering about what’s next with WA State Route 401, which is closed between just east of the Megler Bridge to Naselle. The closure is making for a long drive to Astoria and back for residents of the Naselle area and eastward on Route 4.
Well, some good news: WSDOT will begin next week on work to reopen one lane of that highway near Naselle very soon. Emergency contractors are aiming to reopen the road to a single lane of travel by mid April.
A section of unstable roadway forced the closure of State Route 401 on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
Emergency contractor crews will build a temporary bypass road around the damaged section of roadway.
Building a bypass road will require clearing debris, rerouting storm water, filling in the ditch line, paving a new roadway, installing concrete barrier, painting new roadway markings and installing a temporary traffic light.
Provided that the adjacent landslide remains stable; the temporary bypass road will stay in place while crews work on long-term repairs to stabilize the slope and repair to the roadway.
WSDOT engineers are using data collected over the past few weeks to help design the long-term repair, which is scheduled for construction this summer.
During construction of the bypass road, travelers should continue to use an alternate route and expect delays on US 101 about a mile west of the Astoria-Megler Bridge while crews work to repair a culvert under the highway. The Dismal Nitch Rest Area, east of the Astoria-Megler Bridge, remains closed.