Olympic Hot Springs Road will close for repair in September

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, July 28, 2015

PORT ANGELES — Access to the Elwha River valley will be restricted for about a month beginning Sept. 8 as Olympic National Park crews shore up Olympic Hot Springs Road in advance of fall and winter rains, park officials announced.

The road will be closed to all public access at the park boundary during the monthlong project to protect public and employee safety.

Crews with heavy trucks and equipment will be working seven days a week.

“We appreciate the public’s patience as we make these important repairs,” Park Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum said in a news release.

“We understand that September is still a popular travel month, but it’s critical that we stabilize the road before rains and river flows increase this autumn.”

Olympic Hot Springs Road was heavily damaged during last winter’s rain and floods.

Temporary repairs were made last spring to allow access throughout the summer, park officials said.

Farther up the valley, repairs to the 4.5-mile Whiskey Bend Road are scheduled for this fall.

The primitive road, which connects to Olympic Hot Springs Road, was extensively damaged last winter and has been closed to vehicles ever since.

Dates for the Whiskey Bend Road project have not been set.

The September project on Olympic Hot Springs Road will complete flood repairs that began last February.

With low water levels, crews will have access to portions of the river bank that were not accessible in the winter and spring.

Crews will buffer the bank with material to provide erosion protection.

Stabilization materials include rock and gravel, logs, root wads and willow stakes to improve and protect fish habitat while protecting the road.