Several I-90 Projects Near Snoqualmie Pass Planned for this Summer

Construction season is kicking off already so if you're heading across the state this summer, be prepared because work starts in the next couple weeks on several projects to improve sections of roadway from Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage.

Next week, crews will start making repairs to the bridge over I-90 at the Stampede Pass interchange (exit 62). This work requires the overpass to be closed from April 4 to June 1. Drivers will experience nighttime, single-lane closures during the week and nighttime detours onto the on-and off-ramps Tuesday, April 5, through Thursday, April 7, while the contractor removes the existing bridge span.

In early April, crews will resume work to replace sections of the westbound lanes near Cle Elum. The westbound off-ramp at exit 84 will be closed Monday through Friday throughout April. From mid-May until mid-June, it will be closed around the clock. During the off-ramp closure, drivers can access Cle Elum via the Peoh Road Bridge interchange at exit 85.

Work resumes in mid-April on the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project from Hyak to Keechelus Dam and from Keechelus Dam to the Stampede Pass interchange. In May, crews will resume rock-blasting closures. Plan for hour-long closures Mondays through Thursdays, starting an hour before sunset.

In early May, crews will resume painting the Vantage Bridge to preserve its' structural integrity. Eastbound drivers will experience delays due to around-the-clock, single-lane closures.

In June, crews will repave the eastbound lanes between mileposts 67 and 70 near Easton Hill, and the westbound lanes between mileposts 62 and 64 near Price Creek. Crews will also repave the eastbound and westbound lanes between mileposts 106 and 122 near Ellensburg. Drivers will experience delays due to single-lane closures through these work zones.

Additional Options Needed Across the Cascades

Like last week, it happens every so often and we all freak out. The Washington State Department of Transportation closed both Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Passes on Christmas Eve due to ten feet of snow and serious avalanche danger. While this is a safety measure, people still complain. Several friends scrapped their plans to spend the holiday with family on the west side after looking into flights (too full and too expensive).

As the folks at the Seattle Transit Blog pointed out in a post yesterday, we need more and better options across the Cascades. A major storm can literally leave us, and the products we depend on that are shipped over the pass daily, stranded and separated from the rest of the state.

And, as the blog post points out, it's not just during the rare freak snowstorm that we need these options. I drive to the west side often and frankly, I hate the drive. If there was train service for a decent price, at a decent hour and that was timely, I think it would be well-used.

At the link above, Seattle Transit Blog breaks down the number of people traveling the passes everyday and how this amount of people could be transported more efficiently.

Nighttime Closures on Snoqualmie Pass

If you were getting a late- or early- start on a drive to the westside of the state sometime over the next two weeks, be aware that there will be some nighttime closures on Snoqualmie Pass.

For about an hour at a time, the eastbound lanes of I-90 will close multiple times throughout the night between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. Monday, June 15, through Friday, June 19; and again Monday, June 22, through Friday, June 26. Eastbound drivers will be stopped near Gold Creek. Westbound drivers may experience minor delays for a single-lane closure during the same timeframes.

The closures are for crews to set girders for the new eastbound avalanche bridge as part of the project to build a wider, safer and more reliable stretch of I-90 from Hyak to Keechelus Dam.

Snoqualmie Rock Blasting Closures Resume This Week

Rock blasting closures resume this week on Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass as crews continue to make room for a new six-lane highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation will close I90 at 7:30 p.m. for about an hour on Thursday, May 28. Eastbound drivers will be stopped near Gold Creek and westbound drivers at milepost 61 near Price Creek.

There will also be minor delays at night due to a single lane eastbound closure from mileposts 56 to 61 on Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, May 29. Drivers will experience daytime delays due to rolling slowdowns through the same location Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29. 

Snoqualmie Project Called "Succesful Adaptation" by National Magazine

Improvements made to Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass in the past few years have no doubt been an inconvenience to some that got stuck waiting for blasting or other construction activities, but all-in-all, it's being hailed as a success story by the engineering community, and being called "a succesful adaptation" by Roads and Bridges magazine.

The magazine says crews did a great job of phasing the project to be the least disruptive to traffic as possible, found ways around physical barriers such as the mountain looming above the freeway, and took extreme mountain pass weather in stride.

Here's the story if you want to check it out.

I90 To Close on Snoqualmie Pass Saturday and Sunday Mornings

If you're headed to the west side of the state this weekend, be prepared for a closure on Snoqualmie Pass. Weather permitting, the Washington State Department of Transportation will close I90 at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15 and Sunday, Nov. 16 for about an hour to remove trees near the Cabin Creek area. Eastbound traffic will be stopped at milepost 56 near Hyak and westbound traffic will be stopped at milepost 70 near Easton.

Snoqualmie Closures This Week

Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass will close three nights this week for rock blasting. Crews will close I-90 at 7:30 p.m. for about an hour each night Tuesday, May 27, Wednesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 29. 

If you're driving the pass, you may also experience minor delays during the day due to intermittent rolling slowdowns and nighttime single lane closures Tuesday through Friday.

Slow Downs On Snoqualmie Pass This Week

Expect minor delays on Snoqualmie Pass this week due to lane closures, rolling slowdowns and rock blasting.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will close I-90 at 7:30 p.m. for about an hour each night Monday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 21. Due to the area crews will be blasting on Tuesday, May 20, drivers may experience a closure lasting longer than an hour. 

You may also experience delays during the day due to intermittent rolling slowdowns and nighttime single lane closures today through Wednesday, May 21 along Keechelus Lake.

I-90 Snowshed Removal Time Lapse

After standing for over 60 years, it took just 48 hours to remove the old snowshed over Snoqualmie Pass. The Washington State Department of Transportation caught the entire removal on video and compiled it into this cool time lapse video.

A Little of This and That; All Transportation-Related

A paving project gets underway on Sprague from Park to Vista today in Spokane Valley, lanes are closing on I90 over Snoqualmie Pass, Spokane Community College is holding free car care inspection event and a handful of other local transportation-related bits and pieces. You can find it all in today's Spokesman-Review "Getting There" column.

Delays on Snoqualmie Pass Start Tomorrow

Prepare for a wait if you're headed over Snoqualmie Pass in the next two weeks. Major lane restrictions start tomorrow, with a single lane open in each direction.

If you don't plan ahead, you could be delayed for up to two hours, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Officials suggest traveling in the morning or late evening, finding an alternate route or postponing trips.

From 10 p.m. Saturday, April 12, until 9 a.m. Saturday, April 26, a 4-mile stretch of I-90 between milepost 56 and milepost 60 will be congested as crews remove the old snowshed near milepost 58.

Delays Expected On Snoqualmie Pass Next Week

If you're headed across the state next week, get ready for some possible waits. To start, you may have to wait to use the restroom because the Indian John Rest Area will be closed to westbound travelers from 6 a.m. Monday, March 31 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 3. Crews will be upgrading and adding more lighting to the rest area.

  

Then, when you get to Snoqualmie Pass, a lane in each direction will be closed at night starting Monday, March 31 to Friday, April 4. Crews are preparing the project area for major closures that will reduce I-90 to a single lane in each direction for two weeks starting April 12. Drivers will also experience intermittent daytime rolling slowdowns.

Major Construction Delays To Take Place On Snoqualmie Pass

Construction is scheduled to start on Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass in early April and the Washington State Department of Transportation wants to give you an early heads up in order to avoid major construction-related delays.

Starting April 12, I-90 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction for two weeks, including weekends, in order for crews to build detours for the 2014 construction season. They will also remove the 64-year-old snowshed (that tunnel thingy you drive under that keeps avalanches from dropping snow on your car).

 Don Whitehouse, WSDOT regional administrator, recommends planning ahead. “During the single lane closures, drivers will need to change their travel plans in order to avoid delays of up to two hours. We suggest you travel early in the morning, go later at night, find an alternate route or postpone your trip until after April 25.”

The work is part of the $551 million project to build a wider and safer stretch of I-90 throught the mountains.

 

Say Goodbye to the Snoqualmie Snowshed

The trip over Snoqualmie Pass is going to look very different starting this week. The 'snowshed,' a tunnel that protected drivers from avalanches on the pass, is coming down this week, after 64 years in service. It's part of the plan to improve facilities on the pass and will be replaced with avalanche bridges.

More info on the Snoqualmie project, and what it means for your trip planning, and the interesting history of the snowshed, can be found on the Washington State Department of Transportation blog here.

Can't Get To Montana From I90

Bad news if you're trying to get to Montana anytime soon. Interstate 90 at Lookout Pass remains closed this morning due to avalanche danger, according to the Spokesman-Review. The pass closed last night and a reopening time is uncertain, according to an Idaho State Police news release. Rumor has it the closure could last a couple days. If you HAVE to get there, use U.S. Highway 95 to state Highway 200 or U.S. Highway 2 as alternate routes.

Take A Quick Survey On Snoqualmie Pass Visibility

Do you drive over Snoqualmie Pass? Then the Washington State Department of Transportation wants to hear from you.They'd like you to take an online survey on visibility of striping on Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass. Responses from the survey will provide feedback about conditions before construction starts this summer on a pilot project aimed at improving visibility and safety on I-90. 
 

The pilot project is the first in the state to install lane markings with solar-powered light-emitting diodes. The new markings are aimed at improving visibility of the lane lines despite harsh weather conditions on the pass. If successful, the solar-powered LED markers could possibly be used in other locations along the corridor.

 
Please take the survey here.

New Chain-Up System On Snoqualmie Pass Could Keep You Safer

The Washington State Department of Transportation is implementing a pilot project  on Snoqualmie Pass that could keep you safer and things moving smoother on the pass.

The new system will be used throughout the winter when traction tires are required on trucks over 10,000 pounds.

Recent improvements to I-90 nearly doubled the length and width of the existing chain-up area. Overhead message signs help guide trucks in the chain-up area, streamlining the process and helping improve safety for all drivers on I-90.

When chains are required, overhead signs will direct trucks to the chain-up area and notify trucks where a chain-up space is available.Double parking will not be allowed with the new system; trucks will chain up in a single-file line. Truckers will be allowed to park for 30 minutes while chaining up and will not be allowed to park in the chain up area to wait out the storm.

WSDOT believes this is the first time engineers have used Intelligent Transportation Systems to actively organize the chain-up process. If successful, this pilot project may be expanded to other areas in the I-90 corridor and across the state.

U.S. 12 Landslide Pictures

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has posted some pretty cool pictures on their blog of the landslide that wiped out a 500-foot section of U.S. 12 over White Pass.

Check them out here.

Snoqualmie Closure Sunday Morning

On Sunday, Aug. 18, Washington State Department of Transportation crews will temporarily close I-90 in both directions near the snowshed of Snoqualmie Pass sometime between 5 to 8 a.m., so plan accordingly. Crews are transporting bridge girders for the SR 522 Snohomish River to US 2 widening project. Closure times and closure durations are subject to change.

North Cascades Highway Still Closed From Mudslide

KXLY News is reporting that a 10-mile section of the North Cascades Highway that was hit by mudslides over the weekend remains closed. The Washington State Department of Transportation says there's no estimate on reopening Highway 20, which is closed at Rainy Pass, west of Mazama. Road crews needed more equipment to remove all the mud, rocks and trees.