UPDATED — All of U.S. Highway 101 now open along Hood Canal
By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
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BRINNON — A 25-mile stretch of US. Highway 101 that connects Brinnon in southeast Jefferson County to Mason County has been reopened.
After a long day’s work of cutting and removing fallen trees, plowing snow and clearing slides, state Department of Transportation maintenance crews reopened the segment of the highway at 7 p.m. Thursday, the department announced.
Transportation officials closed a 41-mile stretch of the highway between Brinnon and state Highway 3 near Shelton after a snowstorm Wednesday evening and reopened the section between Shelton and Hoodsport earlier Thursday.
Here's our previous story on this situation
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BRINNON — U.S. Highway 101 remained closed in both directions at Brinnon and points south Thursday as crews scrambled to clear fallen trees and mudslides along the Hood Canal.
The state Department of Transportation closed a 41-mile stretch of the highway between Brinnon and state Highway 3 near Shelton after a snowstorm Wednesday evening.
“It was just too unsafe for us to continue to clear the roads,” Transportation spokeswoman Claudia Bingham Baker said.
Transportation officials reopened the section between Shelton and Hoodsport on Thursday.
It was unknown when the 25-mile stretch that connects Brinnon in southeast Jefferson County to Mason County would be passable.
“We're just working as hard as we can to get it open,” Bingham Baker said.
“It's looking very promising, and we have a lot crews working on it. I don't think it will be a matter of days.”
Transportation crews were working with the Mason County Public Utility District and maintenance crews from around Western Washington to remove the trees and clear two mudslides that covered the roadway.
One of the mudslides had been cleared by noon Thursday.
Meanwhile, a 5-mile section of state Highway 106 at Purdy Cutoff Road between Shelton and Hood Canal remained closed for storm-related damage.
“The plan is to clear 101 first as the primary highway in area,” Bingham Baker said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: December 21. 2012 10:33AM
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