OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The state has released an initial estimate of the damage inflicted by last month’s historic flooding.

WSDOT’s Olympic Region Administrator Steve Roark told the House Transportation Committee on Monday, Jan. 12 that the damage and repair cost is currently estimated between $40 and $50 million.

But he noted that it’s a preliminary estimate with more emergency repair projects to come.

“I want to emphasize it is just that, it is an estimate,” Roark told lawmakers. “It does include our best estimate at our state force work and the work we are contracting out, but we’re still compiling costs, so it is a range at this point.”

Roark says the amount of federal funding that will cover the repair costs is currently unknown, though he added that the state usually covers roughly 20% of the cost.

He went on to highlight several of the 16 emergency repair projects have taken place across the state, including on the Mount Baker Highway.

“We’re in the process of putting together emergency contract, there’s quite a bit of work to restore the drainage and repair the roadway,” Roark said. “We anticipate getting that underway soon. I don’t have an estimated date I can give you for repairing the roadway, but the work’s going to get underway fairly shortly.”

The highway is still on alternating one-way traffic on the path to the Mount Baker Ski Area.