8-3-23 Hwy 101 in Gardiner – Construction Delays •August 13th thru 18th
Gardiner: Expect 90-minute delays on US 101 during weeklong lane closure
Plan for extra travel time starting 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13
BLYN – US 101 travelers between Jefferson and Clallam counties are encouraged to plan ahead to help prevent long delays during an upcoming weeklong lane closure.
The highway will be reduced to one-way alternating traffic from 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13, through the evening of Friday, Aug. 18. There also will be a reduced speed limit on US 101 from 55 mph to 25 mph between Knapp Road and Diamond Point Road, or milepost 273.93 to milepost 274.79.
The lane closure is needed so crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation can remove a small culvert under the roadway and replace it with a larger concrete box culvert. This work allows fish to move more freely through the area during migration, which helps protect and restore salmon runs.
During the closure, drivers on US 101 will use a single-lane road around the work zone. A timed traffic signal will alternate traffic each direction of traffic through the area. Bicyclists will follow a detour on the nearby Discovery Trail.
Prepare for long backups, delays on US 101
- Add up to 90 minutes of extra travel time to help prevent delays.
- Consider postponing discretionary trips.
- Travel early in the morning or later at night, especially on Monday, Thursday and Friday.
- Carpool, use transit or telework if possible.
With one travel lane of US 101 closed, drivers will see increase congestion approaching both sides of the work zone. WSDOT is discouraging travelers to not use county roads as a bypass as it will create congestion on routes needed for first responders and local residents.
Fish barrier removal
The work requires both lanes of US 101 to be excavated. Workers will install a new fish passable culvert and rebuild the steam. The efforts will increase the likelihood of fish migration in a more natural creek environment.
WSDOT recognizes the inconvenience this will create and has worked to reduce overall traffic disruptions during the work. To protect the environment, this type of work must be done during the summer.
The project is part of WSDOT’s ongoing effort to remove barriers to fish under state highways. This project addresses multiple barriers to fish that travel under US 101 between Sequim and Discovery Bay.
WSDOT travel tools
Travelers can receive email updates about this project. Real time information is available via the WSDOT app and the WSDOT real-time travel data map.
