
Washington State Department of Transportation officials cannot provide an estimated time for reopening the highway
COUGAR – Due to earth movement beneath the highway caused by heavy rainfall, both directions of the State Route 503 Spur leading to Cougar at milepost 35.7, near Forest Service Road 81 in Cowlitz County, will remain closed until further notice.
The Washington State Department of Transportation cannot provide an estimated time for reopening the highway, as crews will need daylight to fully assess the damage and determine repair options.
Due to the substantial damage caused to the roadway, a road closure is in place for your safety. Do not drive through “Road Closed” signs.
Travelers are encouraged to use WSDOT’s travel tools before heading out the door. Real-time information is available from the WSDOT statewide travel map and the WSDOT app.
Also read:
- Opinion: ‘If they want light rail, they should be the ones who pay for it’Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance argues that supporters of light rail tied to the I-5 Bridge replacement should bear the local cost of operating and maintaining the system through a narrowly drawn sub-district.
- Opinion: IBR falsely blaming inflationJoe Cortright argues that inflation explains only a small portion of the IBR project’s cost increases and that rising consultant and staff expenses are the primary drivers.
- Letter: The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s $141 million bribe can be better spent on sandwich steel-concrete tubesBob Ortblad argues that an immersed tunnel using sandwich steel-concrete tubes would be a more cost-effective alternative to the current Interstate Bridge Replacement Program design.
- A sub-district vote could be a way to go to pay O&M costs associated with light railClark County Council members heard details on how a voter-approved C-TRAN sub-district could be created to fund long-term operations and maintenance costs for light rail tied to a new Interstate Bridge.
- Letter: British Columbia’s new immersed tunnel can solve Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s $17.7 billion problemBob Ortblad argues that an immersed tunnel similar to a project underway in British Columbia could significantly reduce costs and impacts associated with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program.






