Date:  Monday, April 06, 2009

Contact: Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications, (509) 577-1617 (Yakima)

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

HYAK– Drivers can expect westbound I-90 to be closed for about three hours this afternoon (between approximately noon and 3 p.m.). The forecast calls for temperatures to peak around 60 degrees today which will again increase the risk of snow slides on I-90. WSDOT avalanche forecasters will reduce the risk to traffic by bringing the threatening snow down in a controlled manner while traffic is stopped.

“Saturday afternoon, April 4, was the first settling of the snow pack we have seen since March 1. In the past 5 weeks, over fourteen feet of snow has fallen,” said Craig Wilbour, WSDOT Avalanche Forecaster. Increasing temperatures are melting the snow pack rapidly, causing a high risk of avalanche on I-90 just west of Snoqualmie Pass.

In advance of the rising temperatures, extensive avalanche control work was done on Saturday, April 4, but the snow pack continued to move on Sunday. Several natural avalanches late Sunday morning caused WSDOT to protect westbound traffic by closing two out of three lanes one mile west of the summit.

Long delays and back ups occurred Sunday afternoon and evening as a large volume of traffic funneled into one westbound lane.

The optimum time for avalanche control on Sunday would have required up to three hours of complete closure of the westbound lanes. Due to heavy westbound I-90 traffic, a full closure for several hours was not acceptable Sunday afternoon.. As temperatures cooled Sunday evening, WSDOT crews re-opened lanes to westbound traffic.

“Typically westbound traffic volumes are less on Monday than on Sunday. Delays and back ups this afternoon should be considerably less than what we saw yesterday”, said Rick Gifford, WSDOT Region Traffic Engineer.

Know Before you go:

•Get information from our Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov before you leave your home or office. •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 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.
•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).

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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