Date: July 19, 2011
Contact: Dave Reynolds, 360-457-0715
Roadwork along Graves Creek Road in Olympic National Park is scheduled to begin August 10.
Beginning August 10, the road will close to all traffic, both vehicle and pedestrian. The Graves Creek campground will also close on August 10 and remain closed for the duration of the repairs.
The closure will allow contractors to repair damage caused by erosion along a 210-foot embankment, near Milepost 1.8 and downstream from the Graves Creek trailhead and campground.
Work will be performed by Erick Ammon, Inc. of Silverdale, Wash. and involve the placement of large logs along the length of the embankment, with the logs’ rootwads facing into the stream to encourage the development of fish habitat. Rip-rap will be placed to secure them into place and prevent buoyancy, and the gravel road will then be rebuilt overtop the logs.
The $476,634 project is expected to last 30 days.
“We understand this closure may impact some of our visitors’ late summer plans in the Quinault Valley, and we ask for their understanding as we work to provide safe access,” said Olympic National Park Superintendent Karen Gustin. “In its current state, the road is severely jeopardized by the possibility of a high-water event, so these repairs are necessary to maintain safe access now and into the future.”
Construction season in the Pacific Northwest is short in duration, with most road repair projects planned for the warmer, drier summer months.
Timing for the Graves Creek repairs is dependent not only on summer weather, but also designated in-water work windows designed to protect spawning fish. For the Quinault River and tributaries, that work window runs from August 15 through August 30.
For information about camping and hiking in Olympic National Park, please call the Wilderness Information Center at 360-565-3100.
