More traffic shifts coming to US 12 in East Grays Harbor

Photo created by KXRO

Drivers in East County should expect further traffic shifts as work continues on US 12 west of Elma.

Travelers have already seen one traffic shift between Schouweiler Road and Keys Road.

WSDOT tells KXRO that over the next week, two more locations will temporarily have reduced lanes.

If the weather cooperates, construction crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will reduce US 12 from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction at two locations.

Vance Creek milepost 19.17
Crews expect to complete the crossover lane at Vance Creek Friday, Sept. 15. The site is located between South 3rd Street and Schouweiler Road near Elma. Travelers on eastbound US 12 will follow a single lane that crosses the median onto the westbound side of the highway. Westbound US 12 will be reduced to one lane at the same location.

Camp Creek milepost 12.3
A similar traffic shift will happen at Camp Creek near Montesano with one lane open in each direction on the eastbound side of the highway. Crews expect to have the new lane configuration in place on Monday, Sept. 18.

Wenzel Slough milepost 17.5
On Monday, Aug. 28, crews reduced US 12 to one lane in each direction on the westbound side of the highway at the work zone.

These temporary lane configurations will remain in place for up to a year. The lane reductions will remain in place until the project is complete in late 2025.

The speed limit on US 12 is also reduced from 60 mph to 50 mph from milepost 16.83 to milepost 20.09 and from milepost 11.95 to milepost 13.3.

What is happening
Crews are removing culverts under US 12 and replacing them with bridges. The current culverts block fish migration to Vance Creek, Camp Creek and Wenzel Slough. This work is part of WSDOT’s program to improve fish habitat under state highways.

Get real-time information on the WSDOT app and real-time map.