U.S. 2 to reopen from Skykomish to Stevens Pass, Gov. Ferguson says
State officials plan to reopen U.S. 2 between Skykomish and Stevens Pass in both directions by Sunday, Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday.
Ferguson shared the news alongside Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith at a press conference from the town of Skykomish.
“We got a good dose of luck to have things go our way, to be in a position to open up this stretch of highway,” Ferguson said.
The stretch of highway has been closed since Dec. 10 when an atmospheric river caused widespread flooding and landslides across the state. The closure has complicated travel plans during the holiday season and wiped-out revenue for businesses along the route.
“Our crews, working with contractors, have been working to clear the highways around the clock since this happened, we’ve been reopening roads, we’ve been clearing debris, and we’ve been addressing the drainage systems,” Meredith said.
In the aftermath of the storm, state officials estimated it would take months to repair the roadway. Of key concern was a bridge at milepost 54 near the town of Skykomish.
Meredith said crews removed debris above and below the bridge for an inspection. An inspector report released Monday showed the bridge to be “structurally sound,” Ferguson said.
That said, Ferguson stressed that the road from Stevens Pass to Leavenworth will not be fully reopened anytime soon.
“This is not intended as a through route all the way to Leavenworth,” Ferguson said. “It’s wonderful access to the pass, but those restrictions are significant. They’re time-consuming if you’re trying to get all the way to Leavenworth.”
A pilot car is guiding alternating one-way traffic in each direction between Stevens Pass Resort at milepost 64 to Mill Creek Road at milepost 71 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Meredith said this set-up will continue in the new year.
“By the end of January, we feel like we could have one lane open in each direction, but until then, piloted traffic will continue,” Meredith said.
Ferguson and Meredith recommended drivers use Interstate 90 or U.S. 12 to reach Leavenworth.
Tumwater Canyon from Coles Corner at milepost 85 to Leavenworth at milepost 99 will remain closed in both directions through mid-March, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Repairs on that highway stretch started Dec. 23. The detour around this section is Chumstick Highway to Beaver Valley Road, per WSDOT.
Though the state is opening the bridge at milepost 54, Meredith said the storm did not leave it completely unscathed.
“There’s a girder that is cracked,” Meredith said. “We’ve determined that it’s not a crack that will be hindering travel, but in the long run, we’ll be doing some maintenance on that girder this summer.”
Meredith advised drivers to remain cautious on the roadway as it will be an active construction zone for the foreseeable future. Winter weather may also impact travel.
“Be winter ready when you’re traveling the corridor,” Meridith said. “Have a full tank of gas, full patience and bring your emergency gear. It’s winter, and even through this piloted section, it could be affected by weather, just like any other winter.”
This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 1:15 PM.
