WSDOT hoping to open North Cascades Highway in about two weeks
Seasonal snow clearing of the North Cascades Highway linking Eastern and Western Washington will be complete in about two weeks, the Washington state Department of Transportation said Tuesday, April 28.
Clearing restarted without public notice on April 13, 2020, WSDOT said in a statement.
Because the North Cascades Highway — officially state Highway 20 — is a main east-west transportation route, clearing of snow was deemed essential even as much road work stopped March 26 during a statewide stay-home order to limit the spread of the new coronavirus.
“We determined it best to cancel the usual media fanfare around this work as to not to appear to invite nonessential travel,” WSDOT officials said in the statement.
Highway 20, which traverses Washington Pass and Rainy Pass over the Cascades peaks, connects the Skagit Valley with the Methow Valley.
It closes east of Newhalem and west of Winthrop every year in early winter because of avalanche danger.
Clearing work began on March 2 on the east side and was to have started March 30 on the west side.
Crews usually clear deep accumulations of snow by early spring.
Opening ceremonies usually are widely publicized and create something of a carnival atmosphere as Western Washington residents looked forward to the warm, dry weather of the east side and access to popular trails and campsites.
For many years, a Marblemount resident made cinnamon rolls and gave them to road crews on opening day.
This story was originally published April 28, 2020 at 9:56 AM.
