OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — A three-week closure of Olympic Hot Springs Road — including the Elwha and Altair campgrounds — may extend over Memorial Day weekend.
Road repairs are planned to begin in mid-May to the Fisherman’s Corner area of Olympic Hot Springs Road, approximately one mile south of the Olympic National Park boundary, said Barb Maynes, park spokeswoman.
The repairs, which include replacement of failed base material and road surface, will require a three-week closure to the public, including those walking or on bicycles.
Exact dates for the closure have not yet been scheduled, Maynes said, but the road is anticipated to close in mid-May and remain closed through early June, including Memorial Day weekend.
The Elwha and Altair campgrounds also will be closed during this three-week period.
After Olympic Hot Springs Road is repaired, workers will begin work on Whiskey Bend Road, Maynes said.
Whiskey Bend reopening
The park hopes to reopen Whiskey Bend Road by late summer or early fall.
Repairs of the two roads are through the National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration.
Both roads, which are in the Elwha Valley, will provide construction access during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam, set to begin in September as part of the Elwha River Restoration Project.
Repairs to Olympic Hot Springs Road will correct damage caused by slumping of the river bank and nearby road in the Fisherman’s Corner area, Maynes said.
Construction will include placement of bank protection, as well as replacement of failed road-base material and asphalt.
Final designs for repairs to Whiskey Bend Road are still under way.
These repairs will correct extensive damage caused by heavy rains in December.
In addition to slide damage, an assessment by road engineers revealed large voids under the road, seriously compromising road safety and stability.
The 4.5-mile-long Whiskey Bend Road remains open at this time to pedestrians, bicyclists and stock users.