(The Center Square) – Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson and Washington State Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith announced on Friday that sections of U.S. Highway 2 between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass closed due to flooding will be reopened in a limited capacity on Monday, Dec. 29. The highway is expected to be repaired and fully operational by March.
“We all understand how critical reopening Highway 2 is for residents of our cities and communities for our economy, for the ski resort, and for travel across our state,” WSDOT External Relations Professional Allison Krutsinger said at a Friday press conference. “We’re very, very mindful of that and the team is working extremely hard to get opened as quickly as possible.”
“I do want to be clear, fully opening Highway 2 is going to take time, a long time,” she added. “We’re still evaluating the full extent of the damage.”
WSDOT initially closed a section of Highway 2 from Index to Coles Corner due to multiple mudslides and washouts following intense flooding. That closure later expanded to include the Tumwater Canyon outside the city of Leavenworth due to high water levels of the Wenatchee River and subsequent roadway erosion.
Starting Dec. 29, the 20-mile section between Coles Corner to Stevens Pass will reopen with pilot car operations between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pilot car operations are expected to last 1 month, then possibly one lane each direction.
Meredith noted some of the difficulties in restoring highway access is because the impacts are not always apparent. “After storms like these, the greatest dangers are often the hidden ones – undermined bridges and saturated soils. Every decision our department makes to whether reopen a road or not is grounded in safety for the public first.”
“I just want to emphasize that this is a limited reopening,” she further noted.
The closure of U.S. 2 sections has impacted the local economies of towns like Leavenworth, which is world famous for its Christmas tree lighting ceremonies during December.
“I’ve got to say, as Christmas town USA, I don’t have to say how devastating it’s been,” Mayor Carl Florea said at the press conference.
