Work crews reopen part of SR 510 near Lacey after two-week emergency closure
Road workers reopened a portion of State Route 510 east of Lacey on Wednesday after replacing a failed culvert underneath the roadway.
On April 24, the Washington state Department of Transportation closed the highway between Old Pacific Highway and Rockcress Drive Southeast to make emergency repairs.
That portion of SR 510, also known as Pacific Avenue, is used by about 13,000 vehicles per day, according to a WSDOT news release. The nearly two-week repair project cost the state about $1.2 million and forced travelers to find alternate routes.
“WSDOT would like to thank travelers for their patience during the closure,” the release says.
WSDOT hydraulic work crews learned the culvert collapsed at several locations after using small cameras and robots to inspect it. The collapse allowed water to erode the soil beneath the roadway, causing it to sink 5 inches.
To reach the culvert, WSDOT and contract crews worked side by side to dig through 6,000 cubic yards earth. The crews then installed a new 105-foot culvert, rebuilt the roadway, repaved the driving surface and installed new lane markings.
The failed culvert is not an entirely isolated incident. WSDOT estimates almost 1,500 state-owned culverts are about to or have reached the “end of their useful life.”
“Many culverts are more than 50 years old and need replacement,” the release says. “There is little maintenance crews can do at this point to prevent future failures.”
Culvert failures cause “ripple effects” across other parts of the roadway and transportation system, according to the release. Like in SR 510, repairs require emergency road closures and lengthy detours.
