Date:
Monday, November 27, 2006
Contact:
Meghan Soptich, Communications, sopticm@wsdot.wa.gov, 206.440.4788 or 206.437.6314
SEATTLE – Washington State Department of Transportation crews have been working non-stop for the past two days clearing ice and snow in the lowlands and heading up to the passes to assist in road clearing there. We have 190 vehicles in Western Washington working this storm.
Here are some of the critical areas at this hour:
Snohomish County
- Rest areas at Smokey Point northbound and southbound I-5 closed due to power outage.
- SR 522 is closed from SR 9 to Paradise Lake Road due to snow and ice on the roadway.
- The ramp from westbound SR 522 to southbound I-405 is closed due to multiple collisions.
King County
- Drivers are experiencing trouble on I-5 from downtown Seattle to Lynnwood due to snow and ice on the roadway.
- SR 410 has compact snow and ice on the roadway between Greenwater and Crystal Mountain Blvd.
- WSDOT will close the I-5 Express lanes tonight at 11 and reopen them at midnight in southbound direction. The lanes will stay open all night.
Whatcom County
- Whatcom is still experiencing white out conditions in the northeast part of the county (Lynden to Sumas). Visibility is at zero on the Guide Meridian (SR 539) and Badger Road (SR 546) and parts of Highway 9 near Sumas.
- All roads north of Bellingham have compact snow and ice. High winds are causing drifting snow and low visibility.
- Crews recommend staying at home if you can.
Skagit County
- WSDOT may close SR 534 due to downed trees from Conway to McMurray. They are currently monitoring the area.
- Highway 9 is still closed between SR 534 and Bryant Road due to falling trees since 5 am. This five mile section will reopen when WSDOT crews determine it is safe.
- The new forecast is predicting heavy snow, up to 10 inches, Monday afternoon and evening in Skagit County.
Jefferson County
- Chains are strongly recommended for semi-trucks on U.S. 101 between the Big Quilcene River (milepost 297) and Bee Mill Road (milepost 303) in the Mt. Walker.
Island County
- Highway 20 south of Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island has compact snow and ice and it's currently snowing. Drivers should watch for downed trees.
Pierce County
- No weather-related closures to report.
Thurston County
- No weather-related closures to report.
Clallam County
- SR 112 near Port Angeles in Clallam County reopened at 5 p.m. The route had been closed between mileposts 23 and 61 in both directions. SR 117, known locally as Tumwater Truck Road, is still closed from milepost 0.0 to milepost 1.4 in both directions due to downed power lines. When the lines are cleared, we will reopen the roadway.
Snoqualmie Pass
- I-90 Snoqualmie Pass - traction tires are advised.
Alternate Passes
- US 2 Stevens Pass – traction tires advised
- US 12 White Pass – traction tires required
- US 97 Blewett Pass – no restrictions
Interesting facts:
- Drivers flocked to WSDOT’s mountain pass Web pages over the holiday weekend. On Wednesday, Nov .15, the Snoqualmie Pass Web page had 51,000 page views. On Wednesday, Nov. 22, the same page has 121,000 page views, an increase of 137%
- We expect snow in the lowlands tonight and temperatures will drop. It is likely King and Snohomish counties will see snow and ice in the morning.
- WSDOT has more than 190 trucks on the road in greater Puget Sound working this storm. Equipment includes snow plows, sanders, dump trucks, graders and deicers.
- We have more than 250 people working the roads.
What can drivers do?
- Drive for winter conditions. Driver should slow down and keep extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
- Check the web before you head out to get an accurate picture of conditions. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/.
- Drivers can go to our Highway Weather Update web page for the most updated information on all roads across Washington State: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/weather/updates
- Drivers can call 511 from any phone to get timely updates on the road. If you’re on the road, have a passenger call 511 to get timely updates on the road.
- You can also view our traffic page, including mountain pass reports, on your cell phone or PDA’s
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