If at first you don’t succeed, pave again.

Crews will return the first week of September to repave portions of Highway 525 in Clinton near the ferry dock for a second time.

The highway was first repaved in June, but the pavement failed to meet compaction standards and now has to be removed and replaced, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation.

WSDOT found the problem during routine testing after paving had been completed to determine the strength of the pavement. Engineers believe that the weather is partially to blame.

“We’re pretty sure that cool temperatures were part of the problem,” said Marco Foster, engineering manager. “It’s doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen.”

Crews will repave portions of the highway at night Monday, Aug. 31, through Wednesday, Sept. 2. Crews will install temporary lane markings after repaving and then will return in a few weeks, after the pavement has cured, to install the permanent lane markings.

Whenever WSDOT repaves highways, crews routinely test the asphalt to ensure that it meets high-quality standards for compaction. Compaction refers to how dense and tightly packed the asphalt is. WSDOT standards for compaction are set to ensure that the asphalt lasts 12 to 15 years. Without proper compaction, the lifespan is dramatically reduced.

Contractor Krieg Construction Inc. of Oak Harbor, the original contractor for the June repaving work, will pay the costs to repave the roadway.