Date:  Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Contact: WSDOT Road Condition Call Center 360-705-7000

OLYMPIA – With another winter storm on the way, WSDOT crews are asking motorists to anticipate delays caused by avalanche control and, possibly, flooding that affects state highways. Motorists should be prepared for winter driving conditions in the mountain passes and the potential for flooding throughout Washington state.

“We are working in the mountains to get ahead of the storm and crews are closely watching the rivers, but motorists need to plan for winter weather and the potential for lengthy delays on some major interstate routes,” said Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation.

The storm is expected to bring warmer temperatures and large amounts of rain which increases the avalanche danger for all three major east-west highways through the Cascade mountains – I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, US 2 Stevens Pass and US 20 White Pass.

US 2 at Stevens Pass and SR 20 near Newhalem are both closed due to natural snow slides. I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass is open at this hour, although crews anticipate more avalanche control work overnight. US 12 White Pass is open.

While the mountain passes face avalanche concerns, roads throughout Washington could be threatened by flooding. Forecasts indicate a strong potential for flooding that could close I-5 in Lewis County later this week. Crews are also closely watching Cowlitz River where it crosses US 12 near Randle.

Earlier today, a natural snow slide closed US 2 two miles west of the Stevens Pass summit. At about the same time, a natural slide came down in Tumwater Canyon, west of Leavenworth. US 2 remains closed from Leavenworth, (milepost 99) to Scenic (8 miles west of the Stevens pass summit).

WSDOT crews opened one lane through the US 2 slide for those leaving the ski area. WSDOT has also established a passenger-vehicle only detour around Tumwater Canyon. From Leavenworth, drivers travel via the Chumstick Highway and SR 207 to Lake Wenatchee and Coles Corner. This detour adds 30 minutes of travel time and is for passenger vehicles exiting the ski area to the east, or for those heading from Leavenworth to Lake Wenatchee, or Plain. No large trucks are allowed on the detour route.

Drivers are encouraged to check conditions along their entire route at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic before hitting the highways.

Know Before you go:

• Get information from our Web site at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ before you leave your home or office.
• 511 - This driver information phone line provides current traffic, incident and closure information. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388. Out-of-state callers can access the information at call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).
• Mountain pass conditions are available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/.
• At www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter, drivers can find WSDOT’s winter driving-related information, including preparing a vehicle for winter driving, safe driving tips and mountain pass travel advisories. The WSDOT winter site also offers information about chains, winter tires and how WSDOT maintenance crews work in winter weather.
• On WSDOT’s Web site, www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/weather, drivers can look at roadway temperatures and see camera images from across the state.
• At www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts, a map shows highway incidents and closures.
• Sign up for news. WSDOT offers subscribers more than 25 specialized e-mail alerts, including news and information for freight haulers, construction related traffic revisions, project updates from all around the state, and timely updates on pass conditions. Visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ and click the link for “E-mail updates.”
• Twitter users can add WSDOT to their personal accounts at: http://twitter.com/wsdot/. Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform/twitter for more details.

On the Road:

• Overhead and roadside electronic signs
• Highway advisory radio - WSDOT advises drivers to program 530AM and 1610AM on your radio.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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