Reporter Staff

Travelers heading east on state Route 410 toward Mount Rainier National Park should anticipate delays for the next five weeks.

Crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will tackle emergency rock slope repair work on the hillside about five and a half miles west of the entrance to the Crystal Mountain ski resort.

Both directions of traffic will alternate through a single lane for the duration of the project, which began May 30 and is expected to last until June 8. Delays could, at peak traffic times, reach 30 minutes.

During the first two weeks, crews from Pacific Blasting and Demolition will remove loose rocks and trees from the hillside. Workers will then spend the next four weeks drilling large bolts to stabilize rocks.

WSDOT has been working in the area since mid-April when a rockslide came down onto SR 410. While crews installed a barrier to prevent further debris from falling, a rock did manage to damage a vehicle in early May.

WSDOT is seeking emergency funds from the Federal Highway Administration to cover the estimated $800,000 needed for the repairs.