DOT working to reopen damaged roads
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January 09, 2009 - 04:33 PM

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Scott Terrell

Water covers Samish Island Road Friday morning as commuters head toward Edison. Other avenues for drivers in the area continue to be cut off due to floodwaters from the Samish River and surrounding drainage systems.
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Skagit County is still experiencing a large number of road closures due to water over roadways and landslides.

It will likely take two weeks before Highway 20 is reopened east of Concrete and for utility companies to get in to replace power poles and utility lines, according to Washington State Department of Transportation officials. And it could be a month before both lanes are reopened to all traffic.

WSDOT does expect to have one lane available for police, fire and other emergency lane Saturday.

The department also expects the work on Highway 530 between Rockport and Darrington to be lengthy, with as much as three days needed to open one lane for emergency traffic, four or five to clear a lane for local traffic and a week to open both lanes.

A large mudslide continues to block the highway and though WSDOT has hired a contractor for the work, crews must remove 5,000 cubic yards or about 500 dump truck loads of rock, mud, trees and other debris and might need to build a retaining wall before reopening the roadway, according to the Department.

There was hopeful news for the state’s main east-west and north-south routes. WSDOT crews reopened both Interstate 5 through Lewis County and Interstate 90 across the Snoqualmie Pass this afternoon.

The Samish River is experiencing flooding at near record levels. Many roads North of Burlington and in the Bow-Edison area are closed.

Skagit Transit cancelled service again today on two routes (8 and 717) in east Skagit County due to the closure of Highway 20 east of Sedro-Woolley, but planned to resume those services Monday. For detailed route information, call 360-757-4433.

Roads reopened:

Interstate 5 — I-5 reopened through Lewis County Friday afternoon.

Interstate 90 — I-90 Snoqualmie Pass reopened between North Bend and Ellensburg Friday afternoon.

Skagit County

Burmaster Road — Open

Cascade River Road — One lane is open between Highway 20 and Cascade River Park.

Challenger Road — The west end is open, but the east end is still closed between Highway 20 and the Challenger Ridge Vineyard.

Colony Road — Open

F & S Grade Road — Open with water over road between Prairie Road and the Samish River Bridge.

Grip Road — Reopened Friday morning.

Kelleher Road — Reopened Friday morning.

Lyman-Hamilton Highway — One lane open at Jones Creek.

North Green Road — Reopened Friday morning.

South Skagit Highway — Open with mudslides between Old Day Creek Road and Highway 9.

Stackpole Road — Reopened Friday morning.

Current closures:

Skagit County

Highway 11— Chuckanut Drive is closed between Cook and Field roads, north of Burlington (mileposts 2.16 and 4.05) due to water over the roadway. Detours are posted.

Highway 20 — Closed just east of Concrete city limit (milepost 90) to Jackman Creek Road (milepost 91) due to four mud slides. Road will be closed for approximately two weeks at this location.

Highway 530 — Closed in the Hatchery Creek area (milepost 55.3) due to large mudslide. Road will be closed for approximately one week at this location.

Allen West — Water over road between Chuckanut Drive and Bradley Road.

Avon Allen Road — Water over road from Cook Road to the end of the road.

Baker Lake Highway — The road is blocked by a mudslide from Highway 20 to Burpee Hill Road. Only emergency vehicles may pass.

BayView-Edison Road — Water over road between D’Aracy and Samish Island roads.

Beaver Lake Road — Water over road from Fox Road to Quarry.

Burpee Hill Road — Mudslide at Horseshoe corner.

Challenger Road — East end is closed between Highway 20 and the Challenger Ridge Vineyard due to a mudslide.  The west end of Challenger Road is now open.

Cockreham Island — Water over road for all of Cockreham Island.

Conrad Road — Closed to through traffic from the east end to the west end.

Dahlstedt Road — Water over road from Green Road to District Line Road.

Ershig Road — Water over road from Worline Road to Field Road.

Farm to Market — Water over road between T-Loop and Field Road.

Francis Road — Closed to through traffic traffic from Swan Road to Highway 9.

Fruitdale Road — Water over road between 10402 Fruitdale Rd. and River Road.

Grassmere Road — Water over road between Highway 20 and Carlson Road.

Green Road — Water over road from Kelleher Road to Cook Road.

Hamilton Cemetery Road — Water over road from Lyman Hamilton Road to Healy Road.

Healy Road — Water over road from Hamilton Cemetery Road to Lyman Hamilton Road.

Minkler Road — Water over Road from Highway 20 to Hoehn Road.

Prairie Road — Water over road from Blank Road to Upper Samish Road.

Red Cabin Creek — Water over road from Lyman Hamilton Road to Hamilton Cemetery Road.

Robinson Road — Water over road from Lyman Hamilton Road to end.

Sam Bell Road — Water over road from Chuckanut Drive to Pulver Road.

Steelhead Lane — Water over road between Jolly Road and Driften Lane.

Sullivan Road — Water over road from Bayview Edison to end.

Swan Road — Water over road from Babcock Road to the Nookachamp Bridge.

Thomas Road — Water over road from Allen West Road to Field Road.






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