Date:
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Contact:
Sam Arola, Maintenance Supervisor, 360-442-1342
Sylvia Ross, WSDOT Communications, 360-905-2058
MOUNT ST. HELENS – After a record winter, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will reopen Mt. St. Helens’ Spirit Lake Memorial Highway (State Route 504) to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at 7 a.m. on Friday, May 16. The Johnston Ridge Observatory will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning on May 16.
WSDOT’s challenge was to reopen before the May 18 anniversary of the volcanic eruption of Mt St. Helens. This year, crews have been fighting record snow fall, as well as errant slides that occurred during the winter, in order to reopen the roadway safely and in time.
“I’m proud of our maintenance crews for fighting what nature dealt us this season,” said Don Wagner, WSDOT Southwest Region Administrator. “We very much wanted to have the road open and safe for traffic in time for the anniversary of the eruption, and we will accomplish that,” Wagner added.
State Route 504 east of Coldwater Lake (mile post 45) has been closed since December 2007 due to heavy snowfall. WSDOT closes State Route 504 each year due to hazardous snow conditions and the possibility of avalanches in some spots. It is then reopened in the spring when it is determined that further significant snowfall is not likely to occur.
The public may obtain more information about the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument by visiting the United State Forest Service’s Web page at: www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/.
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