by Aspen Ford, Washington State Standard
May 1, 2026
It’s unclear when a section of the North Cascades Highway will reopen following significant winter damage and a March rockslide on the road.
Around 26 miles of the highway between Diablo Lake and Porcupine Creek will remain closed as the Washington State Department of Transportation carries out repairs.
The road closes on both sides of the Cascades each winter due to heavy snowfall and avalanche hazards and has been shut down through the mountains since December. But the roadwork needed to reopen the highway this year is substantial.
“It isn’t just clearing debris,” said assistant region administrator Melissa Ambler. “In many places, we have to rebuild the roadway from the ground up.”
The highway, State Route 20, is the northernmost route in Washington across the North Cascades. Known for its mountain scenery, it connects Skagit and Whatcom counties to Okanogan and Chelan counties.
State Rep. Hunter Abell, R-Inchelium, is putting pressure on the Department of Transportation to provide a timeline for repairs.
Communities like Winthrop and Twisp east of the Cascades have come to rely heavily on tourism, Abell said. Due to the closure, alternative routes extend driving time by hours from the west side of the mountains.
“I’m hearing from constituents left to right saying people are canceling on my motels,” said Abell. “If it’s not repaired by a certain point in the summer, the whole [tourist] season is gone.”
“Highway 20… is arguably the most important east-west arterial in northern Washington,” Abell said in a Facebook post this week. A rock slide on State Route 20 in March left part of the road blocked. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation)
During December’s atmospheric river, several sections of the road were washed out.
The damage spans miles. In several locations, flooding washed away material under the highway, leaving sections of pavement without structural support, according to the Department of Transportation.
Repairs will take place in two projects, according to David Rasbach, a Department of Transportation spokesperson.
The agency will begin clearing debris from the rockslide that occurred near Diablo Lake through a 30-day emergency contract. Work is expected to begin as early as Monday.
Due to the extent of damage and complexities of repairs between mileposts 142 and 148, work is expected to take several weeks. First, the agency must select a contractor. It’s also in the process of getting certain permits, but that can take considerable time due to the road’s location in the North Cascades National Park, said Rasbach.
The agency said Friday it does not currently have an estimated date of completion.
Abell suggested his part of the state can get overlooked when it comes to critical roadwork.
“Part of the frustration is that when you’ve got comparable washouts on the west side, it seems like [repairs] happen much faster than on the east side,” he said. “People’s livelihoods are on the line.”
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