Montlake Bridge sees lots of bicycle and foot traffic. WSDOT had sought to double the lanes with a second bridge. (Credit: WSDOT).
In Washington state, our leaders like to talk about environmental protection and climate action. And then it comes time to pass a transportation funding package and those values go out the window. This year was shaping up to be no different until Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) stepped up with a much improved proposal. State legislators would be wise to sign on to her Evergreen Plan and the broader effort to curb transportation emissions while giving Washingtonians more climate-friendly ways to get around.
All lanes of eastbound SR 520 between Montlake Blvd. in Seattle and 92nd Ave. Northeast on the Eastside will be closed from Friday at 11 p.m. until Monday at 5 a.m.
As more and more people head to the mountain passes for winter recreation, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said the increasing crowds are bringing a new hazard to the passes.
UpdatedSun, Jan 10, 2021 at 12:45 pm PT
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Spinouts on Snoqualmie Pass over the weekend led to closure lasting more than 7 hours, WSDOT said. (Washington State Department of Transportation)
SNOQUALMIE PASS, WA The Washington State Department of Transportation has a few reminders for winter driving following several crashes and lengthy closures over Snoqualmie Pass in recent weeks.
In a blog post, WSDOT outlined some of the challenges transportation crews face in keeping mountain passes open during snow events after dozens of vehicles spun out and prompted a 7-hour closure earlier in the month.
As seen year after year, WSDOT said most closures are not due to weather alone and often become necessary due to unprepared drivers and those that fail to follow legal requirements for traction tires or chains.
Another Storm Moves Across Washington & Oregon Tonight and Wednesday
Another storm will move across Washington and Oregon tonight and continue to drop snow (sometimes heavy) through Wednesday evening. Travelers and residents can expect low elevation rain and 6 to 12 inches of mountain snow. Highest snow accumulations will be over the Cascade, Blues mountains and Wallowas. Snow levels will hover around 2500 feet to 4500 feet.
At 3:00 p.m. today (Tuesday), it was snowing on Snoqualmie pass, snow and slush on the roadway, traction tires advised and oversize vehicle restrictions in both directions. Travelers can expect conditions to worsen tonight and throughout the day Wednesday. You can monitor pass conditions and reference cameras through the Washington State Department of Transportation site.