Highway work waiting on weather, call for bids

The Washington State Department of Transportation is still working to schedule two projects that will affect traffic between Longview and Astoria.

The contractor is waiting for the right weather to complete work to add pavement markers and finish crosswalk work along the stretch of SR 4 through Cathlamet.

"Because this work requires dry, warm weather, they are anticipating that they can schedule the work within the next couple of weeks," Celeste Dimichina Communications & Media Relations specialist said Tuesday.

At the end of the project the speed limit through the area is set to lower from 45 to 35 miles per hour.

The project to repair the slide on SR 401 about four miles from the Astoria-Meglar bridge will go out for competitive bidding sometime in June, Dimichina said.

One lane of the highway was closed because of wet weather in early 2021, and the department has a one-lane passage through the affected area.

There is no definitive date set for the project.