Crews making significant progress clearing SR 530 of Oso mudslide debris
May 15, 2014, 6:39 PM | Updated: 7:05 pm
Work crews unearth State Highway 530 as Washington State Governor Jay Inslee checks on progress at the site of the Oso mudslide on Thursday. (AP Photo/Seattlepi.com, Josh Trujillo, Pool)
(AP Photo/Seattlepi.com, Josh Trujillo, Pool)
Crews are making significant progress clearing the massive field of debris covering SR 530 near Oso, and hope to have the roadway opened to one-way traffic by the end of June.
Governor Jay Inslee and State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson on Thursday toured the site of the mudslide that killed 41 people and left two others missing.
Engineers have determined much of the highway remains intact, with an approximately 160-foot stretch the only part of the roadway destroyed. It was previously believed the damage was far greater beneath the estimated 90,000 cubic yards of mud.
Crews have worked around the clock to clear debris stretching over 1,000 feet of the roadway since they began work last Friday. They’ve removed an estimate 20 dumptrucks worth of mud per hour, says Bill Vlchek, WSDOT Deputy Regional Administrator.
“We can’t tell how far down the debris goes, we’re going to excavate and see if we can get an idea of how deep it is,” he says.
WSDOT will choose a contractor by the end of May from among four finalists to rebuild Highway 530. Vlchek says it will be elevated in parts to circumnavigate the dramatically changed topography of the area and movement of the Stillaguamish River caused by the slide. Completion is scheduled for early October.
KIRO Radio’s Brandi Kruse contributed to this report
