Workers planned to finish their work this week in a short-term solution to an unstable slope at the south end of a bridge on State Route 169 across the Green River near Black Diamond.

Contractors for the state Department of Transportation finished installing 80 soil-nails and a spray-on concrete Aug 29. One lane of the Kummer Bridge was closed, with flaggers directing northbound and southbound traffic on the second lane, which remained open.

Mike Askarian, a DOT project engineer, said the completion of the work meant both lanes could be open to traffic by the end of this week, “more than a week ahead of schedule.”

The contractors were scheduled this week to complete final tasks, including clean-up of the project site and removing equipment. That was expected to require up one week of single-lane closures during daylight hours. North and southbound traffic was to alternate across the bridge with assistance from flaggers, DOT officials said.

The next phase of the long-term improvements of the hillside is scheduled to begin in late September and end in November. Drainage pipes will be installed into the slope to help remove water that has caused landslides.

Overall, the project will cost approximately $2 million. DOT has received federal money to pay for the work, officials said.

DOT began in late-July what it called emergency repairs of the hillside. Officials said if it hadn’t been stabilized, it could have collapsed from the normal load of traffic.

About 9,000 vehicle trips are made on the bridge daily, according to DOT.

Updates and additional information on the project is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR169/GreenRiverRepair/