COUGAR — The Washington State Department of Transportation began emergency repairs last week on a portion of Lewis River Road, also known as State Route 503 Spur, in Cougar due to damage caused by heavy rainfall earlier this month.
There is no exact time set for when both lanes of the two-lane road will reopen.
One lane is now open for traffic to alternate in each direction. The roadway will remain open during construction, but freight and vehicles over 16,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight are prohibited from traveling on the route.
The 30-day project started Thursday and includes slope stabilization, culvert installation and rebuilding the road, according to a transportation department press release.
WSDOT advises drivers to expect delays of 20 minutes when traveling during the work zone.
The state agency closed both directions of the road at milepost 35.7 on Dec. 5 due to a culvert failure caused by heavy rainfall. Later that day, the highway’s eastbound lane eroded and washed away, the press release states.
Assistant Regional Administrator for Development and Delivery Devin Reck said in a press release, “We recognize that SR 503 Spur is the primary roadway, and depending on the season, the only way in and out of Cougar,” and that crews “reestablishing a safe and reliable connection for all roadway users is our top priority.”
