KHQ Right Now - News and Weather for Spokane and North Idaho | DOT reopening Snoqualmie Pass, officials tour Washington flood damage

DOT reopening Snoqualmie Pass, officials tour Washington flood damage

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Washington Transportation Department has reopened the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 through Snoqualmie Pass. The westbound reopen lanes at noon.

Road crews worked around the clock to clear snow, debris and standing water that closed the pass on Wednesday. Highway 2 through Stevens Pass reopened Thursday after a two-day closure caused by heavy snow and avalanche danger.

The department says Highway 12 through White Pass is not a viable east-west route due to flooding and a washout. Traffic is allowed on parts of the highway that had been closed.

The National Weather Service says many flooding rivers in Western Washington have crested but warnings remain in effect in 10 counties.

The service says major flooding is still occurring Friday morning on the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Cedar and Chehalis rivers.

One of the remaining problems from this week's flooding has been damaged water systems. The state Health Department is advising residents to boil drinking water at South Bend, Morton and Pe Ell.

The National Weather Service forecasts a chance of rain Friday and widespread rain Saturday, but the outlook into next week is for drier weather.

State, fed officials tour Washington flood damage

Gov. Chris Gregoire will tour flood damage with Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.

They plan stops Friday afternoon at Orting and Chehalis. Murray told KOMO Radio she's been using her position as chair of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee to ask Peters for immediate money for road repairs. Murray also says she has been in contact with the man nominated to replace Peters in the Obama administration, Ray LaHood, to maintain work through the transition.

Murray also says she's already seeking money for long-range studies for work to protect I-5 at Chehalis from repeated flooding.

$2 million federal downpayment for flood damage

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters says the federal government will give Washington $2 million as a downpayment toward flood damage repairs.
     
The money will be used to fix roads, buildings and other government property. Peters says more money will be on the way when the state figures out the impact of this week's floods.
     
She says the $2 million is to help get the state back on its feet economically.
     
Peters spoke at a news conference before taking an aerial tour of flood damage with Gov. Chris Gregoire, and Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.
     
Gregoire gave a very preliminary estimate of $125 million in flood damage to roads, buildings and other government structures.

As of noon Friday, these are the latest road closures by county:

Clallam County:
SR 112 is closed between Joyce and Pysht at the West Twin River due to a landslide.
Cowlitz County
SR 503, Closed both directions near Speelyai Creek Bridge (milepost 31)

SR 503, NOW OPEN both directions at the Woodland Park Road (milepost 38)

SR 504 near Kid Valley area (mileposts 17-20) Two separate slides are blocking one lane at mp 17 and mp 20. Crews are working to clear the slide and traffic is getting through.

Grays Harbor County:
SR 107 is closed in Montesano, milepost 7, due to flooding.

King County
SR 202 - Closed from SR 203 to 356th Avenue SE in Fall City. A 90-foot-long section of SR 202 east of the roundabout at SR 203 was completed washed out and requires reconstruction before the road will reopen. There are alternate routes into Fall City. Work might take several days.

SR 202 - Open in North Bend from the northern city limits of Snoqualmie to North Bend Boulevard.

SR 203 between Fall City and Monroe -  SR 203 has reopened from Fall City to Duvall. The road remains closed Duvall and Monroe.

SR 410 - Closed in both directions from Greenwater to Enumclaw due to water over the roadway. (Milepost 29.7-57)

I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass has reopened in both directions. Eastbound opened at 9 a.m. Westbound opened at noon.

SR 169 - All lanes of SR 169 are closed near Cedar Grove in Maple Valley because of water over the roadway.

SR 169 - Right lane of northbound SR 169 closed from 140th Ave SE to the Cedar River near Maple Valley due to flood damage.

SR 169 at Green River Bridge - WSDOT engineers closed the SR 169 Kummer Bridge over the Green River near Black Diamond on Tuesday, Nov. 18 for up to six months. Engineers say heavy rains forced movement of the soil that support the southern bridge piers. If the soil continues sliding, it may not support the bridge piers. Significant repairs are needed. The bridge may be closed up to six months.

Kittitas County
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass - I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is open. There are still restrictions on three I-90 exit ramps. Exit 45 will remain closed due to water over the roadway. Exits 53 and 54 will have ramp lane restrictions to keep traffic out of the high water. Due to erosion and some undermining of the shoulders, for driver's safety WSDOT warns motorists to not drive, stop or park on the shoulders of I-90 between North Bend and Easton.

SR 906 - The roadway is closed from Snoqualmie Pass at exit 53 to Hyak exit 54. Access to SR 906 is blocked at exit 54. Local residents and emergency vehicles can access from exit 53.

US 97 Blewett Pass - US 97 Blewett Pass remains closed from milepost 136 near Ellensburg to milepost 149 at the junction of SR 970 due to water and debris over the roadway.  Crews are working to make repairs as flood waters recede. Residents and emergency vehicles are allowed access.

SR 10 - SR 10 remains closed from milepost 88 at the junction of SR 970 near Cle Elum to milepost 104 at the junction of US 97 near Ellensburg due to mud slides and water over the roadway. Residents and emergency vehicles are allowed access.

Lewis County
SR 6, Closed both directions between I-5 and Old State Route 603 (mileposts 51.37-49.08)
Both directions of SR 6 closed due to flooding.

SR 508, Closed in both directions between Cinebar and Morton (mileposts 18-32)
Both directions of SR 508 have been closed due to severe flooding, water over the roadway, and multiple mudslides. There is no ETA for reopening yet.

US 12 is not a viable east-west route at this time. Both directions of US 12 are closed at Randle due to water over the roadway. Local traffic may travel between Morton and west of Randle. Westbound commercial traffic is being held at White Pass since they cannot go west past Randle and there is extremely limited parking along US 12. Eastbound lanes are open east of Randle. Two sections of US 12 are closed in both directions between mileposts 114 - 115 east of Morton and between mileposts 35.5 and 41.5 near Oakville due to water on the roadway. Crews were able to open 14 other sections of the highway.

Pacific County
SR 105, Closed in both directions at Camenzind Road north of Raymond (milepost 3)
Both directions of SR 105 is closed due to a mudslide.

SR 105, Closed in both directions between the North River Bridge and the Shoalwater Indian Reservation (milepost 14 vicinity)
Both directions of SR 105 is closed for the night due to a mudslide.

US 101 OPEN, reduced to one lane (milepost 43)
Both directions of US 101 are reduced to one lane of traffic between South Bend Palix Road and the Niawiakum River Bridge.

Pierce County
SR 165 near Church Street in Wilkeson is now open to one-way, alternating traffic. 
SR 161 is closed at the Little Mashell River south of Eatonville.

Skagit County
SR 11 - Chuckanut Drive closed between Cook and Field roads, north of Burlington (mileposts 2.16 and 4.05) due to water over the roadway. Detours are posted.

SR 20 - Closed just east of Concrete city limit (milepost 90) to Jackman Creek Road (milepost 91) due to four mud slides. Road will be closed for approximately two weeks at this location. View pictures of the slides taken on Thursday, Jan. 8.

SR 530 - Blocked in the Hatchery Creek area (milepost 55.3) due to large mudslide. Road will be closed indefinitely. Road will be closed for approximately one week at this location.

Snohomish County
SR 9 - Closed in both directions from Bickford Avenue to East Lowell-Larimer Road due to water over the roadway. (mileposts 7-10.9).

SR 203 between Fall City and Monroe - Closed between Monroe and Duvall (milepost 15-23). SR 203 reopened between Fall City and Carnation.

Thurston County
SR 8 is closed at the US 101 junction in Thurston County and the SR 108 junction in Grays Harbor County due to water and debris over the roadway.

SR 507 is closed at O'Conner Road in Bucoda due to water over the roadway.
US 12 is closed from Oakville in Grays Harbor County to Rochester in Thurston County due to water over the roadway.

Whatcom County
I-5 - right lane closed south of Bellingham for emergency cleanup of rock, mud and debris

SR 9 - Closed just south of Acme (milepost 71) for water damage to the highway.

SR 9 at border - Sumas Port of Entry is closed to long-haul commercial traffic due to flooding. Local commercial traffic is still being allowed through. All other traffic is directed to use the Pacific Highway crossing (SR 543) near Blaine. This restriction will be lifted when floodwaters recede.

SR 20 - Closed at Newhalem (milepost 121) due to avalanches over roadway.

SR 542 - One lane closed near Marshall Hill Road (milepost 16) for mudslide. Flaggers are directing traffic. View pictures of the slide taken on Thursday, Jan. 8.

SR 546 - Closed from Guide Meridian (SR 539) to Benson Road due to water over the road.

Yakima County
SR22 Toppenish - One lane open between I-82 at Exit 50 and McDonald Road in Toppenish. Drivers advised to watch for equipment and workers near the roadway.

US 12 White Pass - US 12 is open to all traffic from Yakima to Randle.  US 12 White Pass is not a viable east-west route at this time due to flooding at Randle (mile post 116) and a large washout near Glenoma (mile post 108).

SR 410 - SR 410 remains closed at milepost 88.5, Bumping River Road, due to falling and hazardous trees. WSDOT will complete further assessment of the roadway.