Emergency temporary bypass road on SR 401 opens near Naselle

Late Thursday afternoon, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced that a one-lane bypass has opened on SR 401 where a slide closed the highway near the Megler-Astoria bridge. Here is the WSDOT announcement:

Extended drive times via a detour route will soon be a thing of the past for travelers who use State Route 401, also known and Lewis and Clark Trail Highway, between Naselle and Megler, in Pacific county.

On Thursday, April 15, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor, Big River Excavating, finished construction of a temporary single-lane bypass road, restoring travel along SR 401.

The highway was closed February 23, after several days of heavy rainfall deteriorated the roadway to the point of becoming a safety hazard.

“We appreciate the public’s patience in detouring around the closure while our crews worked to build the temporary bypass road,” said WSDOT project engineer Joanna Lowrey. “Keeping this important connection between Naselle and Megler open to travelers and community members was vital, and we’re excited that conditions in the area made it possible to open a single lane of the highway.”

Next steps

As traffic alternates through a single lane bypass, work will continue to stabilize the adjacent slope and perform long-term repairs to the highway this summer.

With the opening of the temporary bypass road along SR 401, the Dismal Nitch Rest Area, east of the Astoria-Megler Bridge is now open.