Mount Rainier Paving Project Will Add Delays For Park Visitors

MOUNT RAINIER, WA — Residents with plans to visit Mount Rainier National Park should plan for potential delays over the next few weeks as state transportation crews move forward with a chip-sealing project on State Route 706. Work got underway Thursday morning at Rainier's Nisqually Entrance, near Ashford, and will continue west along SR 706 all the way to Elbe.

According to the National Park Service, drivers heading to the Nisqually Entrance should plan for delays up to 45 minutes on weekdays, with work beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m. each day. Officials encourage drivers to build in some extra time to get to the park and drive slowly and without distractions through the work zone.

The SR 706 project is just of many chip-sealing efforts underway this summer, which applies special protective coating that helps preserve roads, prevent skidding, reduce glare during wet weather and improve visibility for night travel, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

WSDOT said the work typically leaves just one lane available for drivers, which requires the use of a pilot car and flaggers. Since chip-sealing requires certain moisture levels and temperatures to properly apply, it has to be done during the busier summer months when the weather is dry and the sun is shining.

Learn more about how chip-sealing works on the WSDOT blog.