Work Begins to Open Staircase Road

WORK BEGINS TO OPEN STAIRCASE ROAD
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/

The U.S. Forest Service announced that work will begin this week to reopen Forest Service Road 24. It has been closed by order since the Bear Gulch II Fire began in July of 2006.

This precaution was necessary to prevent injury to the public from rock and debris slides, which have been triggered mainly by freeze/thaw weather cycles and fire damaged trees failing during storms. The road is the main access point for the popular Staircase area and the several summer homes located on the west-side of Lake Cushman.

According to Dean Yoshina, District Ranger for the Hood Canal district of the Olympic National Forest, the road will remain closed to the public while workers remove hazard trees and clear the road.

Trees that are imminent hazards, many over 400 feet above the road will be directionally felled across the slope contour. Debris barriers will be placed in areas of greatest concern such as the area known as the Bowling Alley which is located up-lake from Party Rock where the fire started. Yoshina said this area may also require a single lane roadway.



The road work should be completed by mid March, but the road won't open then. Bill Shelmerdine, Olympic National Forest Geotechnical Specialist, anticipates that to be early May but cautioned that the road may still require periodic seasonal closures as conditions warrant.

Homeowners will be granted access to their property prior to the road being open to the public, if they first obtain a road use permit from the Forest Service. The permit will require them to carry $1 million dollars of liability insurance. They must also sign a waiver that would hold the government harmless if property damage or injury were to occur while they are using the road during the closure period.



I found some new pictures of the fire here