The state Department of Transportation reopened two lanes of westbound Highway 18 in Auburn at 3:23 a.m. Tuesday.
Two landslides closed the westbound lanes Jan 14, just west of Highway 167, south of Kent.
The westbound Highway 18 right truck climbing lane from Highway 167 remains closed until further notice, according to a state DOT media release.
State DOT contractor crews worked through the weekend to:
• Stabilize the steep hillside above the roadway by removing trees and loose debris
• Remove debris from the roadway
• Install drainage systems to handle stormwater run-off from the hillside
• Build a temporary wall in the westbound truck climbing lane designed to catch any remaining small debris that may fall
• Construct a barrier in front of the wall
• Restripe the roadway
“Our crews took advantage of every dry bit of weather this weekend,” said state DOT Regional Administrator Lorena Eng. “The temporary fix allowed us to reopen one lane of westbound SR 18, which is a critical route for freight and commuters. WSDOT engineers will now focus their attention on designing a permanent fix for the hillside.”
For photos of the slide visit the WSDOT Flickr site at: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/4274285385/.
For more information and updates, go to the state DOT Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2010/today.htm.
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