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NACHES, Wash. -- Construction crews began building a temporary route through the Nile Valley on Tuesday, while other workers started removing debris that's clogged the flow of Naches River since Sunday's landslide.
Meanwhile, Gov. Chris Gregoire declared an emergency because of the damage to State Route 410 and surrounding area.
The proclamation means the state will pay to construct the temporary route around the landslide and rechannel the Naches River. A cost estimate hasn't been determined.
Officials say the detour along Nile Road, which is now under water in places, might be finished by week's end.
The road work includes digging up the roadbed, raising it and installing new culverts, said Mike Westbay, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.
The project essentially will raise the road above flood water, officials said.
More than two dozen houses were damaged by flooding caused when the landslide forced the Naches River to find a new channel. On Tuesday crews started removing some material to widen that channel. It's unclear when the rechanneling work will be complete.
To also help reduce flooding, the federal Bureau of Reclamation began reducing the flow from Bumping Lake Dam to the Naches River.
The landslide buried and lifted a quarter-mile of SR 410, destroyed two homes and damaged at least three others. With SR 410 impassable, officials say their priority is restoring road access to residents who are now cut off from the Yakima side.
Transportation officials also reduced the closure points of SR 410, so only four miles of the highway are closed. The closure is from the Nile Road intersection before the Woodshed Restaurant at milepost 108 to milepost 104, Westbay said.
Only residents and construction crews are allowed access through Nile Road. Residents can also use other Forest Service roads to leave the area for food and supplies, said Jim Hall, director of the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management.
"Most people up there prepare quite well -- it's a remote area," he added. "Some only come to town once a week, every other week. They carry a lot of supplies over."
Transportation officials have met regularly with residents above and below the landslide to update them on recovery work.
* Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 509-577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.
* To get information or receive e-mails about the landslide and closure of State Route 410 go to the state Department of Transportation's web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov
For a recorded message with current conditions, call the closure hotline at 509-577-1635.
"Residents can also use other Forest Service roads to leave the area for food and supplies, said Jim Hall, director of the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management."
Has he ever gone over Bethel Ridge in a car? It is a jeep road and we are on the cusp of winter with some snow already up there. Also, since when has the forest service maintained ANY road lately. They have ceased to do anything they were originally founded to do, in my opinion, except farm out their jobs to forest-service-paid camp-Nazi badge-polishers, to collect fees for services our taxes are supposed to be used for.
Nick has obviously not been anywhere near Bethel Ridge Road recently. It's in very good shape, and is hardly a jeep road. Just think of how silent Nick would be if he actually knew what he was talking about.
Report ViolationWell, I have only lived in the Nile 30 years, but I thought monday morning over bethel Ridge in our mini-van was pretty easy. And, even though we didn't need them, someone had taken the time to put up signs to help less knowledgable persons to stay on the right route. And going back was about the same. We have been over it everyday, no problems. While it's true that fewer roads are being maintained, I believe it is because they serve no purpose any longer. But it's like I said, I'm relatively new to the area.
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