WSDOT begins emergency repairs to reopen North Cascades Highway

Heavy rain and a rockslide are forcing the highway to reopen later than usual this year.

north cascades highway landslide emergency repairs WSDOT

ContributedA rockslide blocking the North Cascades Highway near Diablo Lake. Photo courtesy of WSDOT North via X.

SKAGIT COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Emergency repairs are underway as crews continue work to reopen the North Cascades Highway.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) says scaling work began on Wednesday, May 6, to clear a rockslide along SR 20 near Diablo Lake.

It’s the first of two emergency repair projects after heavy rain from the winter and a spring rockslide damaged several sections of the highway.

“This isn’t just clearing debris,” WSDOT Assistant Region Administrator Melissa Ambler said. “In many places, we have to rebuild the roadway from the ground up.”

The highway remains closed between Colonial Creek Campground and Porcupine Creek. That closure begins before the highway’s west side seasonal closure and extends midway through it, while the east side of the highway has reopened in Chelan County.

WSDOT expects the west side of the highway to reopen from its seasonal closure later than usual this year due to the repairs.

There’s still no estimated reopening date.