NEWS BRIEFS

Three week closure on state Route 106

Drivers will need to plan for closures on a segment of state Route 106 at Twanoh State Park to remove and replace an outdated culvert.

According to a news release from the state Department of Transportation, between July 10 and 30, WSDOT will close state Route 106 at Twanoh State Park and a signed detour will direct traffic around the closure onto U.S. 101 and state Route 3 through Shelton.

The total closure reduces the overall construction timeline and reduces the project’s effect on the environmental footprint.

Road work for the project begins Monday and is expected to last until July 9. Another round of construction will begin July 31 through Sept. 1. Travelers will encounter intermittent, one-way alternating traffic during construction along with occasional traffic stops up to 15 minutes.

For more information, download the WSDOT app.

Kayaker dies at Lake Crescent

A 37-year-old Massapequa, New York, man died June 9 after his kayak overturned on Lake Crescent near the Log Cabin Resort in Port Angeles.

According to an Olympic National Park news release, the man was kayaking with his fiancée when his kayak began taking on water. He tried to continue paddling but had to abandon his kayak and tried to swim. As the man’s fiancée attempted to rescue him, her kayak overturned, but she was able to swim to shore. The man struggled and didn’t make it to shore. Neither he nor the fiancée were wearing a life jacket.

Staff from the resort responded to the man’s last known point but were unable to locate him and Clallam County Fire District came to assist in the search. Rangers searched for the man for more than two hours but were unable to locate him. A secondary search for the man was conducted Friday but there were no signs of the man.

Lake Crescent is a deep and cold body of water with surface water temperatures near 50 degrees this time of year. Swimmers are encouraged to use a buddy system and boaters should always wear a life jacket and understand the risks posed by large bodies of water.

Surviving summer campaign begins

The Washington State Patrol and the Traffic Safety Commission are participating in a statewide Surviving Summer campaign with a goal of reducing serious injury and fatality collisions.

According to a news release, June 9 through Sept. 7 has been the highest consecutive 90-day stretch for traffic-related fatalities during the past five years.

According to the traffic safety commission, more than 967 people died in crashes law enforcement responded to an average of more than 60 fatalities per month in June, July and August.

The 90-day period accounts for 31% of all traffic deaths statewide. The biggest contributing factors are excess speed, impairment, distraction and failing to grant right of way. Those most vulnerable include pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders.