CHIMACUM — A lane closure and reduced speeds on state Highway 19 near Chimacum are to remain in effect until further notice and an updated timeline is expected to be released following an engineering assessment.

The state Department of Transportation announced Thursday that travelers were being asked to anticipate longer travel times as the southbound lane remains closed and speed limits are lowered from 50 to 25 mph between Chimacum Road and Swansonville Road.

DOT said that scouring — when flowing water undermines the ground around or underneath infrastructure — had led to the decision to close the southbound lane around the clock until repairs could be made.

The department will release an updated timeline for the closure once an engineering assessment was made, said spokesperson April Leigh on Friday.

“(Geotechnical engineers) have been out to the site and we’re waiting for the assessment to make a determination on the fix,” Leigh said.

Site assessments usually come back within one to two weeks, Leigh said, but that depends on the workload of the engineers.

Leigh said the closure wasn’t planned, but resulted after scouring was spotted along the highway and verified by work crews.

Updates on the Highway 19 can be found at wsdot.com, or at the department’s social media accounts.

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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsula dailynews.com.