Closures continue on US 2 for storm repair
Nov 19, 2015, 1:43 PM | Updated: 5:13 pm
The U.S. 2 bridge undercut remains closed about six miles east of Skykomish up to Deception Falls, just west of Stevens Pass. (WSDOT image)
(WSDOT image)
The storm cleanup continues around the Puget Sound. The U.S. 2 bridge undercut remains closed about six miles east of Skykomish up to Deception Falls, just west of Stevens Pass, because a swollen creek undercut the footing of a bridge.
Crews are doing a “bridge scour,” which is the removal of sediment such as sand and rocks from around bridge abutments or piers. Scour, caused by swiftly moving water, can scoop out scour holes, compromising the integrity of a structure.
The damage was noticed by engineering crews Wednesday afternoon, and the road was closed immediately for safety reasons.
The Washington State Department of Transportation says, “There also were two small landslides in the vicinity that affected the roadway; there was no immediate timeline for when the highway would be reopened.”
According to the HeraldNet, “The water level in the creek was too high Wednesday for engineering crews to do an accurate assessment. Transportation crews were trying to divert some of the water away from the foot of the bridge.”
