Celeste Dimichina, communications, 360-905-2057
Mike Briggs, project engineer, 360-759-1302

CARSON – After two months of construction work to revamp the connection between State Route 14 and Wind River Road is in the final phase.

Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor, Crestline Construction Company, LLC, is wrapping up construction on the new roundabout, which is now open to traffic, and provides improved connectivity for all vehicles between SR 14 and the town of Carson, in Skamania County. Final work is scheduled for January.

“With more than 200 roundabouts on Washington State highways, roundabouts have a proven track record of keeping traffic moving along our state highways,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Mike Briggs. “With the completion of the roundabout project traffic will move more efficiently throughout the corridor, increasing accessibility both in and out of the community of Carson.”

Project background
Currently, there are only two access routes between the community of Carson and the highway: Hot Springs Avenue and Wind River Road. The Wind River flows right beside Hot Springs Avenue and could cause enough erosion to close this roadway. If this happens, Wind River Road will be the primary route for all traffic in and out of Carson.

The roundabout at this location is designed for all vehicles, including trucks, to make the turn up to Wind River Road from SR 14. Additionally, it minimizes environmental and residential impacts in the area.   

What to expect when approaching the roundabout
With the new roundabout in place, highway users should keep the following in mind:

• Slow down when approaching a roundabout
• Yield to other travelers in the roundabout, including those on two wheels
• Choose the correct lane when approaching; do not change lanes inside the roundabout
• Do not stop in the roundabout
• Avoid driving next to oversize vehicles. Roundabouts are designed to allow large vehicles to track across lanes and up onto the roundabout apron

Funding for this $6.8 million project comes from a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the 2015 Connecting Washington transportation package.

This project is scheduled to be completed by Jan. 2020.