Repairs to the 229th Avenue bridge over Butternut Creek and replacement of the Timber Road culvert are expected to be completed this week. Work on the Beef Bend Road sinkhole has started, but a completion date has not yet been finalized.

Land Use & Transportation (LUT) crews began replacing deteriorating pile caps on the 229th Avenue bridge on Monday (Dec. 28). The road is closed from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. only. The project is scheduled to be completed late Thursday (Dec. 31).

Replacement of the washed-out culvert on Timber Road began before Christmas. Pihl Excavating Inc. installed a new culvert on Monday (Dec. 28). The road is scheduled to reopen Thursday (Dec. 31) afternoon.  Repairs will not be totally complete, but are adequate for safe passage; signage urging caution will be posted, and drivers are urged to proceed slowly. On Monday and Tuesday (Jan. 4 and 5), the road will be closed intermittently between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for final repairs.  

Contracted employees are working into the evening today (Dec. 30) to reposition a water main in the sinkhole on Beef Bend Road to give crews access to the damaged culvert. If all goes as planned, it is possible the road could open late next week or the week of Jan. 11, said Dave Schamp, LUT Operations and Maintenance Manager.  

"Engineers have a good game plan ready to facilitate repairs to the damaged culvert, if possible," Schamp said. "We're hopeful that good planning will result in a safe and efficient repair process. Onsite work is in full swing, and if everything goes as planned, we should be able to open the road next week."

The road is closed from 150th Avenue east to SW Westminster Drive, about 2 miles west of Highway 99W. All travelers, including bicyclists and pedestrians, must use alternate routes. A completion date cannot be finalized until the extent of the damage to the culvert can be determined.

Latest estimates indicate County road damage from recent storms is about $4 million. About $2 million of that resulted from landslides on Scoggins Valley Road, which remains closed, and there are no plans for repairs at this time. As weather conditions continue to improve, crews will begin repairing damaged shoulders, drainage ditches, small slides, and potholes on County roads. Repairs are being prioritized to take advantage of favorable weather conditions. To report road issues, use this online submission form.

For the latest information on road conditions, visit wc-roads.com. 

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