Date:  Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Contact: WSDOT NC Region Communications Mgr. Jeff Adamson (Wenatchee) 509.667.2815
WSDOT NW Region Communicator Dustin Terpening (Burlington) 360.757.5997

WENATCHEE – The gates across the road on SR 20 near Diablo and Mazama swung open at 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon allowing traffic to travel over the North Cascades Highway between the Skagit and Methow Valleys for the first time in 5 days. The highway closed at noon last Thursday when warm temperatures caused a snow slide from an avalanche chute below Liberty Bell Mountain, just east of Washington Pass. On Monday, avalanche technicians found another, larger slide, blocking the highway from the same avalanche zone. Heavy, wet snow containing large rocks and tree debris covered 200-feet of the highway to a depth of 25 to 35 feet. WSDOT maintenance crews cleared the slides, repaired a sinkhole and cleared about a half dozen clogged culverts where avalanche chutes released and dumped snow and rocks on the shoulders. Photos of the slide and sinkhole can be viewed on the WSDOT flickr web site.

The snow has stabilized and weather forecasts don’t suggest any conditions that would close the highway for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Those hoping that SR 410, Chinook Pass would be open this weekend will be disappointed. The weekend’s warm temperatures brought down snow slides, rock and debris that will delay the opening until June 5th. Drivers headed over the mountains this holiday weekend should be prepared for heavy traffic and possible delays.

Memorial Day is the busiest day of westbound US 2 travel each year as visitors to eastern Washington, head home. Over the entire Holiday weekend, WSDOT expects close to 43,000 cars on US 2 at Stevens Pass, nearly twice the normal traffic count. We are re-timing traffic lights on US 2 to help keep traffic moving.

Drivers on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and on ocean beach highways can expect higher-than-normal traffic volumes Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and Monday afternoon. Traffic also increases on most sections of I-5 Friday afternoon and Monday. Longer-than typical wait times at ferry docks and Canadian border crossings are also expected. To make the best travel choices, check the WSDOT traffic and roads web page or call 5-1-1. 

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