Local News

The Washington State Department of Transportation is negotiating with landowners for easements to secure an unstable rock bluff on SR 4 just east of Stella.
The project calls for workers to scale the bluff, remove trees, pry unstable rocks loose and secure larger pieces to the bluff with steel bolts.

The deparment has installed a safety fence in the work area, Milepost 50.9, and temporary traffic lights guide traffic through the stretch, which has been narrowed to one lane.
However, the department must obtain easements with neighboring landowners before the project can go to bid, WSDOT engineer Denys Tak said Tuesday.
“We had hope to have the project underway already,” he said, “but we’re still trying to get the easements we need.”
The top of the bluff is in a neighborhood of private property he said, and some of the anchors would be located there.
As soon as easements have been secured, the project will go to bid, and work would start 10-15 days later.