Ocean beach travelers may see daytime delays starting June 28

OCEAN SHORES – Approximately 10 miles of State Route 109 along the Washington coast is set to get a new roadway surface. Grays Harbor county travelers will want to go early or late to avoid delays.  

Beginning Monday, June 28, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will make repairs from Grass Creek Street to 2nd Avenue near Ocean Shores. Work also includes repairs to five state bridges along SR 109:

• Chenois Creek Bridge – milepost 8.7
• Gillis Slough Bridge – milepost 10.02
• Jessie Slough Bridge – milepost 10.8
• Humptulips River Bridge – milepost 10.2
• Connor Creek Bridge – milepost 16.9

“It’s been nearly 15 years since this stretch of highway has seen a new roadway surface,” said Project Engineer Karen Boone. “This work will extend the life of the roadway surface, reducing the possibility of costly emergency repairs.”

Preserving the highway

Over 6,000 vehicles a day travel SR 109 from Hoquiam to Ocean Shores, Seabrook and Taholah. The roadway is showing its age with signs of wear and tear with cracked and rutted pavement Chip sealing is a cost-effective solution to preserving the highway at one-fifth the price of traditional paving.

What to expect

• Reduced speed limit from 55 mph to 35 mph north of Hoquiam to the junction of SR 115.
• Weekday lane closures and flagger-controlled traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Travelers may need to allow extra time to travel through the area.

WSDOT encourages travelers to slow down in work zones and watch out for crew members. Traffic fines are double in work zones. This work is expected to wrap up in fall 2021.