Second set of emergency repairs begin on SR 20/North Cascades Highway Wednesday, May 13

NEWHALEM – A second emergency contract has been signed, and repairs began Wednesday, May 13, along a section of State Route 20/North Cascades Highway damaged by washouts in December. Work on this new contract will happen at the same time as emergency work already underway near Diablo Lake.

The Washington State Department of Transportation set a goal to finish repairs and reopen the closed section of SR 20 between Colonial Creek Campground (milepost 130) and Porcupine Creek (milepost 156) by the Fourth of July. To help accomplish this goal, contractors are required to work 24 hours, seven days a week when it is safe to do so.

WSDOT selected Trimaxx Construction Inc. for the new contract to perform repairs along a 6-mile stretch of SR 20 between Canyon Creek Trailhead and Granite Creek (mileposts 142 to 148). Trimaxx was the contractor that repaired a section of SR 530 that was washed out by the Sauk River during the December atmospheric river storms and flooding.

The damaged area Trimaxx will repair along SR 20 includes:

• Three locations where the embankment supporting the roadway needs to be rebuilt.
• More than 1,000 feet of lane that has been undermined or collapsed.
• Approximately 2 miles of damaged or collapsed asphalt shoulder.
• Approximately 3 miles of ditch line that needs to be repaired.
• More than 1,000 feet of damaged guardrail and concrete barrier.
• Approximately 15 culverts that are damaged or covered by debris.

First emergency contract

Interwest Construction Inc. of Burlington began emergency work on SR 20 earlier this month to stabilize a slope and clear debris from a March rockslide near Diablo Lake (milepost 131). Work at both sites will take place at the same time.

Crews recently completed dislodging loose rocks and debris from the slope using hand tools and air compression. They’re now hauling away the last of the debris and drilling holes in the rock face so that long steel dowels can be anchored to stabilize the slope. The steel dowels range from 20 to 60 feet long and are placed as directed by WSDOT geotechnical engineers carefully examining the slope as work progresses.

What to expect

The closed section of SR 20 between mileposts 130 and 156 will remain an active work zone until repairs are complete. Work is expected around the clock in a narrow corridor, and no unauthorized people are allowed.

There is no safe way to allow public access through the area, including hiking, biking or camping, until work is complete and SR 20 reopens. Portable electronic signs are posted at both ends of the closure reminding people that no access is permitted.

Updates about the repair work will be provided on WSDOT’s SR 20 repair blog, and photos and videos are available in an online SR 20 Flickr album.