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Wikipedia / Washington State Route 401

State Route401 (SR401) is a long state highway in Pacific County within the U.S. state of Washington. The highway originates at the north end of the Astoria–Megler Bridge west of Megler at an intersection with (US101). The roadway travels northeast, paralleling cliffs, the Columbia River and the South Fork of the Naselle River to Naselle, ending at . The road was designated Secondary State Highway12B (SSH12) between 1937 and 1964, when SR401 was created to replace SSH12B. The Astoria–Megler Bridge, completed in 1966, replaced a ferry east of the bridge, where the highway originally ended, and is known locally as Kingston Ferry Road. The roadway was extended west to the north end of the bridge, where it currently terminates. The former ferry terminal became the Dismal Nitch rest area, named after the Lewis and Clark Expedition's description of the place.

Route description

SR401 originates at an intersection with (US101) at the north end of the Astoria–Megler Bridge west of Megler and southeast of McGowan. Traveling northeast between cliffs and the Columbia River past the Dismal Nitch Safety rest area to Knappton, the highway turns north along more cliffs and the South Fork of the Naselle River. In Naselle, the South Fork merges with the Naselle River, which the roadway crosses over three times before terminating at . The intersection with SR4 is also the busiest segment of the road with an estimated daily average of 2,800motorists, which has been decreasing from 3,100motorists in 2005.

History

Secondary State Highway 12B (SSH 12B) was created during the 1937 establishment of the Primary and secondary state highway system as an auxiliary route of (PSH12), co-signed as both (US101) and . The highway ran from PSH12 / US101 at the Megler ferry landing on the Columbia River to PSH12 / US830 in Naselle, with a gap between Megler and Knappton. The full highway was opened in October 1962, ahead of the expected completion of the Astoria–Megler Bridge, which opened in 1966.

SSH12B became SR401 during the 1964 highway renumbering. The Dismal Nitch Safety rest area, formerly the Megler Landing Rest Area, was remodeled twice in 2007 to be accessible year-round.

Major intersections

References