North Cascades Highway officially fully reopens following emergency work
Jun 15, 2026, 6:20 AM
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced that the North Cascades Highway has officially reopened, following months of emergency repairs.
North Cascades Highway (SR 20) closes every year due to heavy snow, but it remained closed longer than normal this year following a rockslide near Diablo Lake and road washout from the flooding in December.
Before Sunday, a section of SR 20 between Ross Dam Trailhead and Porcupine Creek remained closed after North Cascades Highway partially reopened from the east side April 30.
Since May 13, crews have been working to repair washout damage along SR 20 between Canyon Creek Trailhead and the Granite Creek vicinity.
Repairs along this six-mile section of highway included:
- Rebuilding the washed-out embankment that supported the highway at three locations
- Repairing and repaving more than 1,000 feet of highway that was undermined or collapsed
- Restoring about 2 miles of damaged or collapsed asphalt shoulder and about 3 miles of eroded ditch line
- Replacing more than 1,000 feet of damaged guardrail and concrete barrier
- Clearing and repairing 15 damaged or buried culverts
- Using mulch and seeding for erosion control on rebuilt slopes
- Installing pavement markings and striping
