State Department of Transportation workers prepare to push a refrigerator-sized boulder over the embankment over Lake Crescent on U.S. Highway 101 on Wednesday morning. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

State Department of Transportation workers prepare to push a refrigerator-sized boulder over the embankment over Lake Crescent on U.S. Highway 101 on Wednesday morning. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Boulder blocks U.S. Highway 101 lane for several hours at Lake Crescent

PORT ANGELES — A large boulder that blocked one lane of U.S. Highway 101 at Lake Crescent on Wednesday morning was pushed into the lake within hours.

The boulder that rolled down the steep hillside to block the lane traveling west weighed several tons, said Claudia Bingham Baker, Transportation spokeswoman. She added that it was 6 feet tall and about 8 feet long.

“It was kind of like a little Volkswagen,” she said.

The highway was closed at about 7:30 a.m. at milepost 230 and opened to one-lane alternating traffic minutes later. The boulder had been removed by 11:30 a.m.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Cleanup and guardrail repair took a couple more hours, so alternating traffic continued into the early afternoon.

Originally, Transportation crews planned to use a machine that breaks up large rock using pressure from inside the rock. But the boulder was too porous for that, Bingham Baker said.

Instead, workers removed a section of the guardrail and pushed the boulder into Lake Crescent, she said.

When the boulder first rolled down the hillside, it brought with it several small, young trees, Bingham Baker said.

Those were easily removed.

More in News

Parker Brocious, 6, from Cedar Hills, Utah, studies tubs containing plankton, krill and other small ocean creatures used by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center for education purposes while on a road trip with his family on Tuesday at Fort Worden State Park. Parker’s father Tyler is at left. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Science education

Parker Brocious, 6, from Cedar Hills, Utah, studies tubs containing plankton, krill… Continue reading

Port Angeles approves lodging tax fund requests

Vacancy on committee brings legal questions

OMC hires family medicine physician

Dr. Calvin Kuo will join hospital in August

Colton Dufour, left, and his mom Cherie Tachell. (Cherie Tachell)
Boy seriously injured following hit-and-run

Condition is stable, but more testing underway for Sequim teenager

Applications open for Forks council seat

The Forks City Council is accepting applications to fill a… Continue reading

Bridge inspections set on Hood Canal

Bridge preservation engineers from the state Department of Transportation will… Continue reading

Port Townsend Farmers Market opens Saturday

Farm-fresh eggs, mexican pastries and smoked fish available

Adella Banning, 6, of Port Angeles pretends to take to the road on a all-terrain vehicle maintained by Clallam County Search and Rescue during Saturday’s Kiwanis Kids Fest at Vern Burton Community Center and a section of adjoining Fourth Street. The event featured numerous public safety displays as well as other youth activities hosted by area community service agencies. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Kids Fest

Adella Banning, 6, of Port Angeles pretends to take to the road… Continue reading

Clallam letter details Trump administration impacts

Clallam cites economy, tourism, healthcare

Rhonda Kromm is the new Port Angeles School District assistant superintendent. She replaces Michelle Olsen, the newly hired superintendent.
First bonds issued for develop plans for PAHS, Franklin Elementary

Construction at new Stevens Middle School to start in May

UPS Store closing Port Angeles location

UPS is closing its UPS Customer Center at 3216… Continue reading

Single-lane traffic near Kalaloch Campground

Erosion near Kalaloch Campground has caused a temporary lane closure… Continue reading