Date:  Thursday, January 01, 2009

Contact: Public Road Condition Inquiries: Call 5-1-1/ out of state callers call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).

Media Contacts:
Lloyd Brown, WSDOT Communications, 360-789-9232 (Olympia) Patrick Conrad, WSDOT Communications, 206-437-6314 (Seattle) Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications, 509-728-4712 (Yakima) Jeff Adamson, WSDOT Communications 509-667-2815 (Wenatchee) Lisa Murdock, WSDOT Communications, 360-507-1854 (Olympic Region) Melanie Coon, WSDOT Communications, 360-507-4242 (Southwest Washington) Al Gilson, WSDOT Communications, 509-324-6015 (Spokane)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009
8 p.m. update

OLYMPIA – Good news! WSDOT crews got a break from the storm and plan to re-open I-90 Snoqualmie Pass to all traffic around 8 p.m. today. Washington’s two other east-west mountain passes (US 12 – White Pass and US 2 – Stevens Pass) are expected to remain closed overnight.

The highway re-opens with a speed limit of 35 mph. Traction tires are advised eastbound from Edgewick (MP 34); eastbound from Denny Creek (MP 47) chains are required except for all wheel drive vehicles. Chains are required westbound from Easton (MP 70) except for all wheel drive vehicles. Motorists will encounter narrow lanes in places and should be alert for snow removal equipment on the highway.

Experienced avalanche technicians and maintenance crews were hard at work all day at Snoqualmie Pass. The weather was not as severe as forecast, and crews were able to bring down potential avalanches threatening the highway. Snowplows and snowblowers are readying the roadway for travelers. Another storm headed for Washington is expected to dump more snow on the Cascades overnight, which means avalanche crews will continue to monitor for avalanches risk.

The storm also could bring more snow and possibly high winds to large portions of eastern Washington from Yakima to Spokane. The potential for blowing snow could complicate travel for winter-weary drivers.

I-90 Snoqualmie pass will re-open around 8:00 p.m. US 12 (White Pass) is closed from just east of Packwood (milepost 135) to junction with SR 410 (milepost 185). US 2 Stevens Pass remains closed from Scenic (milepost 58) to Leavenworth (milepost 100).

Know Before you go:

•Get information from our Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov before you leave your home or office.
•511 - This driver information phone line provides current traffic, incident and closure information. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388. Out-of-state callers can access the information at call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).
•Mountain pass conditions are available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/.
•At www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter drivers can find WSDOT’s winter driving-related information, including preparing a vehicle for winter driving, safe driving tips and mountain pass travel advisories. The WSDOT winter site also offers information about chains, winter tires and how WSDOT maintenance crews work in winter weather.
•On WSDOT’s Web site, www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/weather drivers can look at roadway temperatures and see camera images from across the state.
•At www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts a map shows highway incidents and closures.
•Sign up for news. WSDOT offers subscribers more than 25 specialized e-mail alerts, including news and information for freight haulers, construction related traffic revisions, project updates from all around the state, and timely updates on pass conditions. Visit www.wsdot.wa.gov and click the link for “E-mail updates.”
•Twitter users can add WSDOT to their personal accounts at: http://twitter.com/wsdot/. Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform/twitter for more details.

On the Road:
•Overhead and roadside electronic signs
•Highway advisory radio - WSDOT advises drivers to program 530AM and 1610AM on your radio.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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