With repairs underway, SR 20/North Cascades Highway expected to fully reopen by June 25
(NEWHALEM)– Two emergency repair projects have started, and State Route 20/North Cascades Highway is expected to fully reopen to eastbound and westbound traffic by Thursday, June 25. This is 10 days earlier than the Washington State Department of Transportation’s previous goal of reopening by the Fourth of July, according to a news release from the agency.
A section of SR 20 between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156) has remained closed since the North Cascades Highway’s partial reopening from the east side April 30.
Several sections were seriously damaged by washouts in December and a March rockslide, making it unsafe to fully reopen the scenic seasonal highway until repairs finish.
WSDOT selected Burlington’s Interwest Construction Inc. (ICI) to begin emergency repairs on the rockslide near Diablo Lake (milepost 131), and work began May 5. Since then, ICI has dislodged loose rocks and debris and closely inspected the slope, a process called scaling. Work has shifted to drilling holes in the rock face to anchor 20- to 60-foot-long steel dowels that will stabilize the slope.
On Wednesday, May 13, Sedro-Woolley’s Trimaxx Construction Inc. began work on a second emergency contract focusing on repairing washout damage between Canyon Creek Trailhead and the Granite Creek vicinity (mileposts 142-148). Necessary repairs along this 6-mile section of SR 20 include:
- Three locations where the embankment supporting the roadway needs to be rebuilt.
- More than 1,000 feet of lane that has been undermined or collapsed.
- Approximately 2 miles of damaged or collapsed asphalt shoulder.
- Approximately 3 miles of ditch line that needs to be repaired.
- More than 1,000 feet of damaged guardrail and concrete barrier.
- About 15 culverts that are damaged or buried.
Trimaxx is working in multiple areas and has started removing debris and damaged guardrail, breaking up fallen asphalt and repairing embankment that washed away.
Working days for this second emergency contract should be used up by Thursday, June 25. Both contractors are working at the same time and are required to work seven days a week and 24 hours a day when it is safe to do so.
Though WSDOT has alternated traffic through damaged sections while making emergency repairs on other highways, that unfortunately is not possible on SR 20. There are multiple areas where lanes have been completely washed away and the remaining pavement is unsupported from below. Making repairs to safely reopen one lane along this narrow corridor would take about as long as contractors estimate it will take to fully reopen both lanes of SR 20.
WSDOT continues to work with both contractors to fully reopen North Cascades Highway as quickly as it is safe to do so.
SR 20 remains an active work zone between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156). No access is permitted in this area for hikers, bikers or campers.
As work finishes in certain areas, WSDOT will evaluate if those sections of SR 20 can safely be reopened while work continues elsewhere. Updates will be provided as available on the project webpage, WSDOT’s SR 20 blog or by signing up for SR 20/North Cascades Highway email updates.