GeoStabilization International (GSI) continues to work six days a week stabilizing a slope that caused multiple landslides along Oregon Highway 224 between Tong Road and 232nd. ODOT closed OR 224 in late February after multiple slides in two weeks. Opening the highway is expected to take place near the end of April.
Several delays to the progress of stabilizing the slope have occurred:
• Placing the soil nails and running the two drills is weather dependent. The near record rainfall in March slowed the progress due to the difficulty in maneuvering around the slope. With drier weather in the forecast the contractor is able to install soil nails at an increased pace.
• Amount of material estimated to remove from the slope increased from 350 cubic yards to approximately 1500 cubic yards, as well as the amount of slope face requiring stabilization.
• An additional landslide occurred to the west of where the current work is taking place that required clean up.
To stabilize the slope to limit future landslides, the contractor will use the following techniques:
• Address drainage problems that contributed to the slide (complete)
• Remove material that could slide from the slope (mostly complete)
• Installing soil nails and mesh pins into the slope (ongoing)
• Lining the slope with reinforced concrete, fencing and mesh (ongoing)
GSI is working 70 feet above the slope and there is a high potential for equipment or debris to fall from the slope during this work. When this project is complete, the landslides from this section of the slope will be limited.