Plan for delays this summer on SR 4 near Cathlamet

Drivers who use State Route 4 west of Cathlamet should prepare for occasional delays this summer.

Beginning Monday, July 6, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace two aging culverts linking the Elochoman River Slough to the Columbia River. That work will not immediately disrupt traffic, but drivers can expect occasional daytime, single-lane closures on SR 4 at milepost 34 beginning Thursday, July 16.

The speed limit will be reduced from 55 mph to 35 mph from milepost 33.73 to 34.40.

In early August, crews will install automated traffic lights that will alternate both directions of SR 4 around the clock through a single lane of the highway. The lane restriction is expected to remain in place until sometime this fall.

“This project is located on a key route to popular fishing areas, so we are asking anglers to plan ahead,” said Lori Figone, WSDOT Kelso area engineer.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is partnering with WSDOT on the project, designed specifically to improve fish passage for juvenile salmon and steelhead.

Ashlee Rudolph, WDFW restoration manager, said new large box culverts will replace the existing culverts, greatly improving both fish passage and tidal flow to the spruce swamp on the north side of the highway.

Drivers can check the latest highway conditions on the Travel Alerts page or by using the WSDOT mobile app.