Rehabilitation of 10 miles of Stevens Canyon Road planned in 2011, 2012 and
2013
Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga and Federal
Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division officials
announce that the planned rehabilitation of Stevens Canyon Road is
tentatively scheduled to begin in early September, 2011 and be completed by
late September, 2013.
Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division
officials will be announcing a pre-solicitation site visit for prospective
bidders in early May, 2011. The contract will likely be awarded by August,
2011 with the project starting immediately following the Labor Day holiday
on September 6, 2011.
The National Park Service prepared an Environmental Assessment and a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), which was approved by the Pacific
West Regional Director on July 1, 2010. The FONSI calls for the
resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of the Stevens Canyon Road and
other related facilities, including bridges, tunnels, culverts, guard
walls, retaining walls, turnouts and the short Wonderland Trail section
adjacent to Reflection Lake. The improvements will occur along two segments
of the road, totaling 10.09 miles of the 19 mile road. Segment 1 begins at
the Nisqually-Paradise Road intersection and extends east for 4.83 miles to
the Stevens Creek Bridge. Segment 4 begins at the Backbone Ridge Viaduct
(just east of the Backbone Ridge Viewpoint) and continues for 5.26 miles to
the intersection with Washington State Route (SR) 123.
Ten sites in Segment 1 and 35 sites in Segment 4 have been identified as
needing subsurface stabilization to halt roadway embankment creep that has
resulted in surface tension cracks and appreciable horizontal and vertical
displacement. Two of the 10 sites in Segment 1 require full roadway
embankment replacement down to 22 foot depth and retaining/guard wall
replacements. Most of the 35 sites in Segment 4 require either ¾- width or
full road embankment replacement down to 5 foot depth, some of which
require retaining/guard wall replacements.
Due to the scope of the extensive roadway embankment stabilization efforts,
it will be necessary to close the east end (Segment 4) of Stevens Canyon
Road from the gate located just west of the Grove of the Patriarchs (see
attached map) to just east of the popular Backbone Ridge Viewpoint from
September 6, 2011 to when the road is shut down for the winter (October 24
th in 2010). The contractor will also be doing subsurface compaction
grouting in both road segments to stabilize the roadway in 2011. Visitors
will be able to access the Reflection Lakes area, Box Canyon and Backbone
Ridge Viewpoint area and adjacent trailheads from the west during the
2011closure period.
During the 2012 season, the subsurface stabilization work on the west end
(Segment 1) will require a closure from just east of the Paradise Valley
Road to the Box Canyon Area immediately following Labor Day to when the
road is shut down for the winter. The contractor will also be repairing the
tunnel walls at milepost 6.9 and 8.5 during the closure period. During
this period, visitors will be able to access up to the Box Canyon area from
the east. From approximately June 2012 to just before Labor Day 2012 the
contractor will be conducting work in both segments, at which time visitors
should anticipate 20 minute delays Mondays through Fridays.
During the 2013 season, the contractor will focus on drainage improvements,
repair/stabilization and reconstruction of historic rock retaining walls,
milling/recycling the asphalt surface as road base; and resurfacing with
new hot-mix asphalt which will be accomplished while the roadway is open to
the public. At this time visitors should again anticipate 20 minute delays
Mondays through Fridays until project completion estimated in September,
2013.
Stevens Canyon Road connects the east and west side of the park, extending
for 19 miles from SR 123 at the east end to intersection with the Nisqually
to Paradise Road at the west end, two miles south of Paradise. During the
2011 & 2012 closure periods, visitors are encouraged to access the Paradise
area from the southwest via the Nisqually Entrance at east end of SR 706.
Visitors traveling from the east via SR 410, SR 123, and/or US 12 who wish
to visit the Paradise area have two detour options: Via Gifford Pinchot
National Forest Service Road 52 (Skate Creek Road) beginning on US 12 in
Packwood and ending on SR 706 east of Ashford; or the longer route via SR 7
beginning in Morton on US 12 and ending on SR 706 at Elbe (see attached
map).
While the construction and associated closures and traffic delays present
an inconvenience, the rehabilitation work will not only improve the driving
surface of the roadway, but ensure its longevity.
Updated information on this project may be obtained by calling Mount
Rainier National Park at 360-569-2166. Information on this project, as well
as general park information, is also available on Mount Rainier National
Park’s Intranet Homepage (www.nps.gov/mora).
###
NOTE: Drivers can now get real time traffic and weather information by
dialing 5-1-1 from most cell phones. This new traveler information system
builds upon the highly successful Washington State Highway hotline that
manages 4.6 million calls each year. Callers can also use 5-1-1 to get
statewide construction, mountain pass conditions, and state ferry system
information, as well as toll free numbers for passenger rail and airlines.
TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388.
-NPS-
2013
Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga and Federal
Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division officials
announce that the planned rehabilitation of Stevens Canyon Road is
tentatively scheduled to begin in early September, 2011 and be completed by
late September, 2013.
Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division
officials will be announcing a pre-solicitation site visit for prospective
bidders in early May, 2011. The contract will likely be awarded by August,
2011 with the project starting immediately following the Labor Day holiday
on September 6, 2011.
The National Park Service prepared an Environmental Assessment and a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), which was approved by the Pacific
West Regional Director on July 1, 2010. The FONSI calls for the
resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of the Stevens Canyon Road and
other related facilities, including bridges, tunnels, culverts, guard
walls, retaining walls, turnouts and the short Wonderland Trail section
adjacent to Reflection Lake. The improvements will occur along two segments
of the road, totaling 10.09 miles of the 19 mile road. Segment 1 begins at
the Nisqually-Paradise Road intersection and extends east for 4.83 miles to
the Stevens Creek Bridge. Segment 4 begins at the Backbone Ridge Viaduct
(just east of the Backbone Ridge Viewpoint) and continues for 5.26 miles to
the intersection with Washington State Route (SR) 123.
Ten sites in Segment 1 and 35 sites in Segment 4 have been identified as
needing subsurface stabilization to halt roadway embankment creep that has
resulted in surface tension cracks and appreciable horizontal and vertical
displacement. Two of the 10 sites in Segment 1 require full roadway
embankment replacement down to 22 foot depth and retaining/guard wall
replacements. Most of the 35 sites in Segment 4 require either ¾- width or
full road embankment replacement down to 5 foot depth, some of which
require retaining/guard wall replacements.
Due to the scope of the extensive roadway embankment stabilization efforts,
it will be necessary to close the east end (Segment 4) of Stevens Canyon
Road from the gate located just west of the Grove of the Patriarchs (see
attached map) to just east of the popular Backbone Ridge Viewpoint from
September 6, 2011 to when the road is shut down for the winter (October 24
th in 2010). The contractor will also be doing subsurface compaction
grouting in both road segments to stabilize the roadway in 2011. Visitors
will be able to access the Reflection Lakes area, Box Canyon and Backbone
Ridge Viewpoint area and adjacent trailheads from the west during the
2011closure period.
During the 2012 season, the subsurface stabilization work on the west end
(Segment 1) will require a closure from just east of the Paradise Valley
Road to the Box Canyon Area immediately following Labor Day to when the
road is shut down for the winter. The contractor will also be repairing the
tunnel walls at milepost 6.9 and 8.5 during the closure period. During
this period, visitors will be able to access up to the Box Canyon area from
the east. From approximately June 2012 to just before Labor Day 2012 the
contractor will be conducting work in both segments, at which time visitors
should anticipate 20 minute delays Mondays through Fridays.
During the 2013 season, the contractor will focus on drainage improvements,
repair/stabilization and reconstruction of historic rock retaining walls,
milling/recycling the asphalt surface as road base; and resurfacing with
new hot-mix asphalt which will be accomplished while the roadway is open to
the public. At this time visitors should again anticipate 20 minute delays
Mondays through Fridays until project completion estimated in September,
2013.
Stevens Canyon Road connects the east and west side of the park, extending
for 19 miles from SR 123 at the east end to intersection with the Nisqually
to Paradise Road at the west end, two miles south of Paradise. During the
2011 & 2012 closure periods, visitors are encouraged to access the Paradise
area from the southwest via the Nisqually Entrance at east end of SR 706.
Visitors traveling from the east via SR 410, SR 123, and/or US 12 who wish
to visit the Paradise area have two detour options: Via Gifford Pinchot
National Forest Service Road 52 (Skate Creek Road) beginning on US 12 in
Packwood and ending on SR 706 east of Ashford; or the longer route via SR 7
beginning in Morton on US 12 and ending on SR 706 at Elbe (see attached
map).
While the construction and associated closures and traffic delays present
an inconvenience, the rehabilitation work will not only improve the driving
surface of the roadway, but ensure its longevity.
Updated information on this project may be obtained by calling Mount
Rainier National Park at 360-569-2166. Information on this project, as well
as general park information, is also available on Mount Rainier National
Park’s Intranet Homepage (www.nps.gov/mora).
###
NOTE: Drivers can now get real time traffic and weather information by
dialing 5-1-1 from most cell phones. This new traveler information system
builds upon the highly successful Washington State Highway hotline that
manages 4.6 million calls each year. Callers can also use 5-1-1 to get
statewide construction, mountain pass conditions, and state ferry system
information, as well as toll free numbers for passenger rail and airlines.
TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388.
-NPS-
