Upper Hoh Road Bank Failure Risk Reduction Study: Jefferson County, WA and Olympic National Park, WA

U.S. Department of Transportation

One of the major roads leading into Olympic National Park (OLYM) is the Upper Hoh Road located off of US Highway 101 on the far western side of Olympic National Park. The road is the only entryway into the Hoh Rain Forest and Visitor Center. The Upper Hoh Road is approximately 18 miles in length. Jefferson Country owns and maintains the portion of the road from the junction with US 101 to the OLYM boundary, approximately 12 miles. The OLYM owns and maintains the remaining 6 miles. Management of the road to provide constant state access to residents, business, and Park visitors, has become increasingly difficult over the past 20 years. Portions of the Upper Hoh Road are located within and adjacent to the Hoh River's channel migration zone. This location combined with the increasing frequency and severity of winter storm events (most recently in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2009) has resulted in an increasing number of roadway washouts which either completely prevents access or creates unsafe roadway conditions for visitors, Park personnel, and local residents. In some cases the damage resulted in road closures, permitting no access to the Hoh Rain Forest and the Park's Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center for weeks at a time (and many months in 1996). Response to these storm events and maintenance of the road in its current location has resulted in a continuing outlay of limited maintenance funds to maintain safe access and to mitigate for adverse impacts those actions have on threatened and endangered fish species. .... Treatment options developed are intended to represent a full range of types, costs, and environmental impacts. All treatment options were expected to provide a similar level of road failure risk reduction.

Upper Hoh Road Bank Failure Risk Reduction Study: Jefferson County, WA and Olympic National Park, WA

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