Part of Highway 2 to reopen after being closed for flooding

A section of Highway 2 north of Leavenworth to Stevens Pass will partially reopen Monday morning, part of a 49-mile stretch of highway that has been closed for more than a week, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Friday.

About 20 miles will be open from Coles Corner to Stevens Pass, allowing access to the ski resort from the east 6 a.m.-6 p.m. A pilot car will guide vehicles for about 7 miles along a single lane near the summit.

“We all understand how critical reopening Highway 2 is for residents of our cities and communities, for our economy, for the ski resort, for travel across our state,” Ferguson said at a news conference in Shoreline. “We’re very, very mindful of that.”

The west side of Highway 2, starting near Skykomish to Stevens Pass, will remain closed as crews evaluate the damage.

Ferguson said he’ll visit Skykomish on Tuesday to give a public update on when the western portion can at least partially reopen.

That will partly depend on the condition of a bridge around milepost 54 near Skykomish, which had piles of debris swept by the storm-swollen river crammed under it and covering it.

Once that’s cleared, bridge inspectors will be able to see the entirety of the bridge to determine whether it’s safe, or in need of repairs, state Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith said Friday.

Highway 2 between Skykomish and Leavenworth has been closed since heavy rains and engorged rivers caused parts of the roadway to collapse, with other sections blocked by landslides and trees.

The closure cut off one of the main passes across the Cascade Mountains during the holiday season.

Leavenworth Mayor Carl Florea, who spoke at the news conference via a video call, said he appreciated the governor treating the closure “as the emergency that it is, and throwing all the resources you possibly can at it.”

Leavenworth, a Bavarian-themed mountain town, suffered flood damage, and the storm cut into its busy traditional Christmas celebration that draws big crowds of tourists.

“It’s been devastating,” Florea said.

Even as it starts to reopen, Highway 2 remains an active construction zone, Meredith said, encouraging drivers to expect delays and have a full tank of gas with emergency kits in their vehicles.

Snow, avalanches or spinouts could force additional temporary closures on the pass, she cautioned.

The storm badly damaged Highway 2 around Tumwater Canyon near Leavenworth, washing away parts of the highway, which remain closed.

Once the river level drops, contractors will stabilize the slope and repair the roadway, Meredith said, estimating that section will remain closed until mid-to-late March, when a lane in each direction can reopen.

Until then, a detour remains in effect that takes drivers through the Chumstick Highway and State Route 207.

Ferguson said the state does not yet have an estimate for the cost to repair Highway 2. State and local officials are working on a statewide storm-damage assessment as part of a request for a major disaster declaration from the federal government.

Ferguson called the disaster request, which will be up to President Donald Trump to decide on, “absolutely critical” for the state.

“You can be sure it will be a very detailed, very persuasive case for disaster relief,” he said.