State Route 109 pavement repairs will cause travel delays through the summer

June 29, 2021 6:30 pm
DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD A paving project on State Route 109 that began Monday will create more congestion and backups throughout the summer than usual.
DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD A paving project on State Route 109 that began Monday will create more congestion and backups throughout the summer than usual.

The Daily World

Already busy during the summer months, State Route 109 between Hoquiam and Ocean Shores will be an even tougher drive with a paving project that began this week expected to last through the summer.

The project includes a reduced speed limit and daytime lane closures.

Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation started the project Monday to make pavement repairs to about 10 miles of roadway from Grass Creek Street to Second Avenue near Ocean Shores.

There will be a reduced speed limit from 55 mph to 35 mph north of Hoquiam to the junction of State Route 115, the exit to Ocean Shores. Drivers can also expect weekday lane closures and flagger-controlled traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hoquiam Mayor Ben Winkelman was aware of the project, but had not been told by the Department of Transportation it would include the reduced speed limit.

“Weekends, especially like this last one, where people were almost fleeing to the beaches so they could get away from the heat, can cause some pretty serious backups,” he said.

With the lane closures and especially the reduced speed limit, backups could potentially stretch through Hoquiam, beyond the usual summer congestion westbound that typically occurs near the Riverside Bridge and especially the intersection of Lincoln Street/Highway 101 and State Route 109/Emerson Avenue.

More than 6,000 vehicles a day travel SR 109 from Hoquiam to Ocean Shores, Seabrook and Taholah, according to the Department of Transportation. Winkelman would have liked to see the construction take place at night, like the Simpson Avenue paving project that is nearing completion, but according to the state Department of Transportation release, work will be weekdays during daylight hours.

“The roadway is showing its age with signs of wear and tear with cracked and rutted pavement,” read a department statement. “Chip sealing is a cost-effective solution to preserving the highway at one-fifth the price of traditional paving.”

Work also includes repairs to five state bridges: Chenois Creek Bridge, Gillis Slough Bridge, Jessie Slough Bridge, Humptulips River Bridge, and Connor Creek Bridge.

“It’s been nearly 15 years since this stretch of highway has seen a new roadway surface,” said Project Engineer Karen Boone. “This work will extend the life of the roadway surface, reducing the possibility of costly emergency repairs.”