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US 2 to reopen between Skykomish and Stevens Pass on Sunday
Washington's Highway 2 will reopen between Skykomish and Stevens Pass on Sunday after mudslides and flooding battered the roadway earlier this month.
SKYKOMISH, Wash. - Highway 2 will reopen near Skykomish to Stevens Pass Ski Resort on Sunday, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday at a news conference.
It's a major announcement that has community members and business owners ecstatic and planning for an influx of traffic.
Some business owners had cut shifts and planned for a terribly tough time ahead. Now, they're updating schedules and telling workers to be ready as Highway 2 will soon be open again to get to Stevens Pass.
"We're not much skiers or snowboarders but I think it's great. I think it's great for the community around here," Tessla Alexander said.
She and her family stopped by LouSkis Deli on the Sky in Skykomish just in time as everyone in town learned of the significant update.
WSDOT crews had to close Highway 2 for nearly 50 miles after severe flooding in Wash. state in early December. Now, after almost three weeks, a portion of the road between Skykomish and Steven's Pass Ski Resort will reopen on Sunday. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Debris, damage concerns about a nearby bridge stopped all Highway 2 traffic
"The bridge is structurally sound. It is going to be available for traffic, and we anticipate opening the stretch of highway from where we are right now, all the way to the pass on Sunday," Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Tuesday.
He was alongside WSDOT officials who highlighted there will be no restrictions.
They have not announced a set time for the reopening yet.
WSDOT will partially reopen WA's Highway 2 on Monday
Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Friday that there will be a limited reopening of a section of U.S. Highway 2 Monday, more than a week after severe floodwaters washed out a 42-mile stretch of the highway.
Impacts of the nearly 3-week closure on small businesses
LouSkis Owner Glenn Eburn was at Tuesday's announcement. He was emotional as he reflected on a drop in profits of about 60% and an outpouring of support.
"All the donations are going directly to our staff … that's our biggest concern … that the loss of income for eight families up here," he said.
At Eburn's restaurant, right on Highway 2, he said they were prepared for whatever may come.
"We had prayed for the best news and that's what we got," he said.
Now, plans are already underway to get workers on the clock for Sunday's influx of drivers.
"We may have had to shut the whole place down if we didn't get back to normal," he said.
Gov. Bob Ferguson tours the damaged highway
Gov. Ferguson took a tour of the damage on the west side of Highway 2 and the repairs being made Tuesday.
He got a closer look, guided by the workers themselves.
It's notable that there are still restrictions on the east side route from Leavenworth to Stevens Pass, including a detour and a pilot car from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. at least through January.
You should expect delays of up to an hour.
"Even when we do remove it, it's going to continue to be an active construction zone," WSDOT Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith said.
WSDOT leaders said safety is driving every decision
At Tuesday's announcement, one man stood behind the governor holding a sign demanding that safety be the priority.
"We've lost several people in accidents along Highway 2 in the last few months. It needs to be a safer road," he said.
Officials said drivers can expect more repairs this summer, as people at LouSkis share a collective sigh of relief for now.
"We had COVID. Made it through that. Then, the Bolt Creek fire hit right after that, and now this. So, I guess things come in threes," Eburn said.
Officials said a full restoration of Highway 2 will take months, with no hard date announced. They remind people to use I-90 as a detour because Highway 2 is not a through route.
The governor also said a request to the federal government for disaster relief will be submitted in a matter of weeks to hopefully get help to people who have been affected.
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US Route 2 partially reopens after road washout
Part of Highway 2 reopened after recent flooding and mudslides forced it to close. The route is now open between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass, heading west.
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