Regional News

North Cascades Pass clearing suspended until further notice

Mar 27, 2020

On March 26, Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar suspended most maintenance work due to COVID-19 safety concerns, and implemented an “Essential Maintenance” approach to further comply with the state’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order to safeguard public health. Under these guidelines, we have paused most maintenance across the state, including work to reopen the North Cascades Highway. Similar work pauses are occurring on Cayuse and Chinook Passes.

This highway remains a valuable route for the movement of goods and as an alternative evacuation route in the case of natural disaster. A date to return to normal maintenance work has not yet been determined.

Clearing work started Monday, March 23 at Early Winters Campground on the east side. The blower work had cut out both lanes to milepost 173, then a single lane to milepost 172. A thick layer of ice remains on the uncovered pavement.

Progress updates will be shared here, on social media and our website.

The west side closure point is milepost 130 (Colonial Creek Campground). The east side closure point is milepost 177 (Early Winters Campground).