On Sept. 6, Washington Department of Transportation contractor crews will begin work on a long-term fix to stabilize a slide-prone hillside adjacent to US 12 between mileposts 26.9 and 27.1 near Porter.

US 12 will be reduced to a single lane of alternating traffic. In general, the lane restriction will be in effect each Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through early October. The contractor does not anticipate overnight or weekend closures.

“We know this project will cause traffic delays, and we are committed to getting our work done as quickly and safely as possible,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Gaius Sanoy.

Heavy rains in late January caused debris from the hillside at milepost 27 to break loose. The highway was briefly closed while WSDOT geotechnical engineers assessed the stability of the hillside.

In an effort to reduce future slide-related closures, crews will first remove approximately 110 cubic yards of material from the hillside, followed by a significant effort to install cable netting along the face of the slide area.

WSDOT anticipates traffic delays during construction. Drivers should plan extra time into their trips, and minimize discretionary trips when possible.

Chehalis Bridge

The Washington State Department of Transportation will host an open house on Sept. 13 to discuss plans to rehabilitate the State Route 107 Chehalis River Bridge.

The open house will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Montesano City Hall, in the upstairs banquet room.

Commuters, residents and business owners will have an in-person opportunity to learn about improvements to the 58-year-old bridge, located near Montesano. The improvements include replacing the timber south approach span and bridge rail and painting the steel surfaces.

The open house presents an opportunity to provide input to the DOT staff. No formal presentation will be provided; rather, attendees are free to come at their convenience during the event.