Summer road work underway throughout Olympic Peninsula
Jun 30, 2023, 9:16 AM | Updated: 9:47 am
Olympic peninsula road. (File)
(File)
A number of projects are taking place near and on Highway 101 in the Olympic Peninsula this summer. Known locally as “the loop,” construction will stretch from Grays Harbor County in the south to Clallam County in the north, with Jefferson and Mason Counties also being affected.
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Contractors will repave sections of roadways while continuing the state’s Fish Passage Project. The project is the roadmap for the state to comply with the requirements of a U.S. District Court injunction to correct barriers to salmon and steelhead.
The plan also has goals to open 90% of blocked habitats by 2030. The construction for this plan this summer will include digging up roadways to replace old culverts and making the voyage upstream easier for certain fish.
Some projects will have minimal effect on traffic, but there are a couple that will shut down highways entirely, leaving drivers with lengthy detours.
In particular, Highway 101 between Aberdeen and Humptulips will close on July 9 through approximately the rest of the month. During this time, drivers will have a 23-mile detour between Aberdeen and Youmans Road.
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If you’re planning on a family camping trip or an adventure to the Olympic Park, drivers need to prepare for delays upwards of three hours at times and decreased speed limits throughout. It is advised to travel during non-peak hours and plan ahead by keeping track of projects through the Washington State Department of Transportation’s website.
You can read more of Nate Connor’s stories here. Follow the KIRO Newsradio traffic team on Twitter for more traffic updates.
