WSDOT Prepares For Winter Travel Season

WASHINGTON — With more snow ahead for the Cascades this week and plenty expected over the next few months, Washington transportation officials are asking everyone to prepare themselves and their vehicles for winter travel.

The first seasonal road closures began this week on Mt. Baker Highway. Chinook and Cayuse passes, along with the North Cascades highway, typically follow in early to mid-November.

For the passes that remain open and essential for travel and freight through the winter, like Snoqualmie, Stevens and White, the Washington State Department of Transportation is looking toward winter and asking everyone to do their part.

"Our crews are ready for the upcoming snow and ice season, but we need travelers to get ready as well," said James Morin, WSDOT's maintenance operations manager. "Most pass closures are due to preventable spin outs or crashes from vehicles driven too fast or not having proper equipment. We need everyone to work together, be patient and prepared to help keep traffic moving."

WSDOT is working to fill seasonal roles for peak winter months but expects staff shortages will have an impact again this year, though potentially less so than last winter.

"While significant effort and progress has been made towards hiring, there is still a nationwide shortage of Commercial Driver License drivers for plows and other vehicles," WSDOT wrote Monday. "This means it's even more important for travelers to be prepared to avoid preventable crashes or closures this winter."

Those preparations include things like carrying chains or equipping state-approved alternatives, reducing the chance of a dangerous crash, lengthy pass closures and hundreds of dollars in fines. WSDOT said chain enforcement patrols would once again deploy to mountain passes as needed.

State law allows for the use of studded tires between Nov. 1 and March 31, but officials encourage drivers to seek out stud-free options when possible. WSDOT estimates studded tires cause more than $20 million in damage to roadways every year.

Here are a few more winter driving resources from WSDOT:

• Check current travel conditions and download the WSDOT mobile app.
• Follow WSDOT's regional and pass accounts on Twitter, the agency's Facebook site and online travel alerts.
• Sign up for email and/or text updates about road conditions.
• Text 468311 with the words "WSDOT Snoqualmie" to receive text message alerts about significant delays on I-90/Snoqualmie Pass.
• Download, print and carry the WSDOT Winter Driving Guide.
• Get vehicles ready and plan extra time to cross all mountain passes, including heavily traveled routes such as Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass and White Pass.
• Carry chains and know current traction and chain requirements for mountain passes, which are also available on highway-advisory signs, highway-advisory radio and by calling 511.
• Preset your radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM for WSDOT's traffic-information stations.