Roads crews able to reopen NE Ames Lake Road following slide

 

Triggered by heavy rain and saturated soil, the ground under NE Ames Lake Road gave way, forcing its closure. Crews were able to remove enough debris from a nearby creek to put it back on course, which allowed them to make emergency repairs and reopen the road.
The ground under NE Ames Lake Road that gave way during this month’s heavy rains.

Road Services crews were busy over the long Presidents’ Day weekend this month.

One of its major accomplishments was reopening NE Ames Lake Road at State Route 202. The road closed nearly three weeks ago when sections of land under the road gave way due to slide damage in the valley directly below the road.

The slide – triggered by heavy rain and saturated soil – occurred on the other side of the valley, opposite NE Ames Lake Road. Rocks and debris cascaded down the hill and forced the creek that runs along the valley floor to change course, right into the bottom part of the hillside that supports the road. The force of the water pounding the hillside swiftly eroded the soil, which in turn caused the land under the roadbed, shoulder and guardrail to give way.

It took several days to determine if we could redirect the creek back to its proper channel, make emergency repairs and reopen the road.

Thankfully, we were able to remove enough debris to put the creek back on course, temporarily stabilize the roadway, repair the guardrail and reopen the road. Crews will likely need to return this spring or summer to make more lasting repairs.

Triggered by heavy rain and saturated soil, the ground under NE Ames Lake Road gave way, forcing its closure. Crews were able to remove enough debris from a nearby creek to put it back on course, which allowed them to make emergency repairs and reopen the road.

Triggered by heavy rain and saturated soil, the ground under NE Ames Lake Road gave way, forcing its closure. Crews were able to remove enough debris from a nearby creek to put it back on course, which allowed them to make emergency repairs and reopen the road.

Triggered by heavy rain and saturated soil, the ground under NE Ames Lake Road gave way, forcing its closure. Crews were able to remove enough debris from a nearby creek to put it back on course, which allowed them to make emergency repairs and reopen the road.