SR 530 reopens south of Rockport after repairs to section damaged by December’s floodwaters

ROCKPORT – Both directions of State Route 530 reopened Tuesday, Jan. 20, about 8 miles south of Rockport after emergency repairs to a section damaged by floods in December.

Trimaxx Construction, Inc. contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation rebuilt the embankment and backfilled the roadbed with gravel after floodwaters eroded them away. Crews then paved and striped SR 530 and reconstructed guardrail to reopen eastbound and westbound lanes.

An atmospheric river weather event in December produced heavy rain and widespread flooding across much of northwest Washington. On Dec. 11, the Sauk River reached peak stages, covering SR 530 and washing away a 300-foot section of the embankment along the highway. A section of the westbound lane of SR 530 above the eroded embankment failed and fell into the swift moving river.

SR 530 was fully closed for about a week until water receded and crews could assess the highway. Since then, local access traffic alternated though the damaged area until the highway reopened Tuesday, Jan. 20. 

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