Partial reopening with limited access from the east side; west side closure remains in place

information released

Big news, North Cascades Highway enthusiasts: beginning this afternoon, Thursday, April 30, SR 20 North Cascades Highway will reopen with limited access from the east side.

A partial reopening to restore east side access, protect work zone

Starting at 2 p.m. today, we will open the east side gate of SR 20 to all traffic up to Porcupine Creek (MP 156). There will be room for vehicles to turn around at MP 156. Our crews are completing final sweeps and repairs this morning, so this area remains an active work zone until it reopens at 2 p.m.

This partial opening allows people to access more of the corridor from the east while keeping the active work zone between mileposts 130-156 closed for safety.

We do not yet have a timeline for when we can expect to reopen the entire highway. You can see photos of the rockslide and washout damage on our Flickr album.

No public access between Colonial Creek Campground and Porcupine Creek

We’ve gotten a few questions from cyclists hoping to ride through the damaged portions of SR 20. Starting today, the section between Colonial Creek Campground (MP 130) and Porcupine Creek (MP 156) is closed to all public access 24 hours a day, seven day a week.

You’ll see signs on both ends of the closures that read CLOSED WORK ZONE. NO PUBLIC ACCESS.

Contract work is expected to begin soon, and there is no safe way to allow access through the work zone. You can learn more about this work on our project page.

Why this work is different from other highway repairs

We’ve heard the frustration and concerns that these repairs aren’t being prioritized. We know people have seen us move quickly on other highway repairs across the state, and that can make this situation feel different.

Every repair comes with its own set of conditions. In some cases, we’re able to use emergency contracting methods that allow work to begin immediately and be completed in a short window. Those are typically situations where repairs can be done in 30 working days or less.

Given the extent of damage on SR 20, this work cannot be completed within 30 days, even if crews were working around the clock. Because of that, we are required to use a different contracting approach, which includes developing plans and allowing contractors to bid on the work.

From there, the work itself includes rebuilding sections of roadway where the ground beneath the pavement has washed away, stabilizing slopes, repairing drainage systems, and replacing damaged barriers and guardrail.

I’m speaking broadly for the sake of brevity, but we published a blog this morning that dives into specifics about federal funding requirements, environmental review, permitting, and more. Worth the read if you want more details.

A note to cyclists and other recreators

We understand that this means there won’t be a “bike day” this year. We know that many of you look forward to riding the entire length of the pass before it officially reopens. The truth is, there is no formally recognized bike day. When the road is ready to reopen, it reopens to all vehicles. Sometimes, the road is clear but still needs final repairs, and it just so happens to fall on a weekend day when crews are not scheduled to work.

This year, with the damage to the west side, it just didn’t work out that way. We needed to restore access to the general public as soon as we were able while the west side undergoes repairs.

We hope you were able to take advantage of the past few weekends to get your ride in.

We know a full reopening is taking longer than any of us would like. Thanks for bearing with us, and we’ll keep you updated as new information around repair timelines becomes available.

Rachel Terlep, Statewide Social Media Manager
rachel.terlep@wsdot.wa.gov