Plan For US 2 Delays During Bridge Work Between Index And Skykomish In Washington

Press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

April 30, 2020

On Monday, May 4, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will begin mobilizing for a $4.66 million project to preserve 19 bridges on US 2 between the vicinities of Index and Skykomish (mileposts 31-54).

“US 2 is one of Washington’s few year-round routes across the Cascade Mountain range,” said WSDOT project engineer Mark Sawyer. “This project will keep the corridor in a state of good repair for the growing number of travelers and truck drivers who rely on it daily.”

Properly rehabilitating these bridges also reduces the need for costly and inconvenient emergency repairs which, if required, can increase congestion during peak use times.

Preserving bridge decks

Some of the asphalt dates back to 2002, outlasting its anticipated 15-year lifespan. Each of the 19 bridges will have its cracked and rutted asphalt removed. Exposed bridge decks will be inspected and any necessary repairs made before new waterproof material is put down and the road is repaved.

What travelers can expect­­

Work is weather dependent. Single-lane closures are expected to slow daytime travel on US 2. During construction, flaggers will alternate travelers through a single open lane. Lane reductions will occur weekdays and weeknights but not on weekends. This project is scheduled to be complete by fall 2020.

For the safety of the traveling public and our crews, this project will adhere to current Covid-19 safety guidelines.

This press release was produced by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The views expressed here are the author’s own.