Shorey Road to partially reopen to traffic on Sept. 1

Shorey Road in Centralia will partially reopen to traffic on Sept. 1 as Lewis County crews continue stabilizing the road after erosion was discovered earlier this year.

In late July, Lewis County Public Works closed the road in both directions, though it remains open to local access. Alternate routes are available during the closure.

In an email, Lewis County Engineer Geoff Soderquist said traffic access would resume with alternating one-way traffic during non-work hours and flagger-controlled traffic during working hours.

Travelers should expect delays to accommodate work that will continue through the middle of October.

In January, the road was closed approximately a week after erosion along the Newaukum River was discovered. The closure came after rain hammered the region and raised river levels, though the river bank has eroded in the area before.

At the time, Soderquist indicated that erosion was a long-term issue.

During the closure, photos showed the erosion is about two feet from the riverbank. According to Soderquist, the northbound lane of Shorey Road had some cracks caused by erosion.