Road work on Highway 101 along Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park will create some delays after Labor Day/NPS

With road construction on the calendar for Olympic National Park in Washington state, be prepared for considerable delays if you're planning to visit the park after Labor Day.

The first planned four-hour delay on Highway 101 at Lake Crescent is scheduled for September 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. During this period, Highway 101 eastbound will be open to the turn for Barnes Point, where Lake Crescent Lodge, Storm King Information Station, NatureBridge, and the trailheads are located. Highway 101 westbound will be closed near mile marker 229, where the current rock scaling operation is underway.

Travelers should plan ahead to drive through the construction zone before 9 a.m. or wait until after 1 p.m. Due to heavy truck traffic, a pilot car will lead all traffic on Highway 101 between mile marker 225 and 228 (located west of Barnes Point), and travelers should expect 15-30 minute delays.

Limited four-hour delays can occur Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. beginning after Labor Day. These four-hour delays will be announced at least two weeks in advance. Additional four-hour delays are anticipated for the week of September 11.

Maps of the area and access information are available on the park website at this page.

Travelers on Highway 101 around Lake Crescent should continue to expect half-hour delays Monday through Friday during work hours. Weekday work hours through September 23 are restricted to two hours after sunrise to two hours before sunset. Traveling before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. can help travelers avoid the half-hour delays. After work hours and on weekends, expect short delays for alternating single-lane traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals.

East Beach Road

East Beach Road has reopened to through traffic now that the replacement of the Log Cabin Creek culvert is complete. The new culvert allows for fish passage. Paving operations on East Beach Road are scheduled to begin after Labor Day.

On September 6, paving patches will begin between the Lyre River Trailhead for the Spruce Railroad Trail and the intersection of Joyce-Piedmont and East Beach Roads. There will be limited access between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Travelers should expect 30- to 60-minute delays.

On September 7, paving operations between the Lyre River Trailhead for the Spruce Railroad Trail and the intersection of Joyce-Piedmont and East Beach Roads will restrict access to the area from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Following this period, paving patches will begin on East Beach Road with 30-minute delays until 6:30 p.m. East Beach Road paving patches will continue during work hours on September 8 with 30-minute delays.

Construction Schedule

A general outline of this year’s construction schedule for U.S. Highway 101 is provided below:

Now-Labor Day (summer season)

• Half‐hour delays during weekday work hours, with short delays after-hours to accommodate alternating single-lane traffic.

After Labor Day-Mid November

• Half‐hour delays during weekday work hours, with short delays after-hours to accommodate alternating single-lane traffic.
• Limited four‐hour delays (from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays) and six‐hour overnight delays (10 p.m.–4 a.m. Mondays through Wednesdays) may be scheduled and must be announced two weeks in advance.

Mid-November-Mid-March

• No construction