Motorists Advised to Expect Minor Delays Starting August 8 on Sol Duc Road

Date: August 1, 2011
Contact: Dave Reynolds, 360-457-0715

Visitors to Olympic National Park’s Sol Duc Valley should expect one-lane traffic and delays of up to 20 minutes beginning Monday, August 8.

Anderson Environmental of Kelso, Wash. is the contractor for the Sol Duc Road repair project. Preparatory work began July 18, and traffic delays are expected while the contractor works to repair slumping of the road between Mileposts 5 and 9.

Beginning August 10, the Clallam County Public Utility District will install electrical conduit and manholes. Power outages will occur August 10 – 12 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, Sol Duc campground and Eagle Ranger Station.

Current road information is available by calling Olympic National Park’s information line at 360-565-3131 or online at nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/current-road-conditions.htm.

Obstruction Point Road to Re-Open This Weekend
Obstruction Point Road, a six-mile gravel road near Hurricane Ridge, will re-open to public access on Saturday, August 6. Road crews are nearly finished removing snow from the road, working from Waterhole at Milepost 3.2 to the road’s terminus at the Obstruction Point trailhead.

Drivers should use caution when operating their vehicles along the road’s soft shoulder areas.

Snowdrifts up to six feet in height had delayed the road’s scheduled July 1 opening. The first three miles of road were re-opened for the summer season on July 15.

One-Hour Delays Expected Along Upper Hoh Road for County Bridge Repair
The Hoh Rain Forest of Olympic National Park will remain open throughout the repair work at Willoughby Creek Bridge, but some traffic delays are anticipated. According to Jefferson County officials, the repair work will require one-hour closures occurring on four days, between August 8 and August 12 and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Access Now Closed to Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams
The areas surrounding both the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams are now closed to all public access. Lower Dam Road, which leads from Highway 112 to the Elwha Dam, has been closed to public access since July 5. Dam removal contractor Barnard Construction, Inc. and subcontractors continue preparing the site for the start of dam removal. Preparations there include minor road repairs, demolition of outbuildings and asbestos abatement.

Olympic Hot Springs Road was gated at a point just beyond Altair campground on August 1, so that Barnard can prepare the Glines Canyon Dam area for dam removal, which starts in mid-September. There is no access to the Olympic Hot Springs from the Elwha Valley. Access to other areas in the Elwha Valley, including Madison Falls, Elwha and Altair campgrounds and the Elwha Ranger Station remains open.

Both closures are necessary to ensure public safety through the dam removal phase of the Elwha River Restoration project and to allow the contractor to perform their work safely and efficiently.