Mountain Loop Highway seasonal closure starts Monday

Beginning at noon on Monday, Nov. 23, a 14-mile stretch of the Mountain Loop Highway will be closed for the season.

Tips on winter driving from WSDOT and Washington State Patrol

The closure is for traffic in both directions, officially enforced at the Deer Creek Gate to the west and the Bedal Gate to the east. The seasonal closure comes now as snow is piling up in higher elevations, according to a release from Snohomish County Public Works.

“Snohomish County Public Works has consulted with the U.S. Forest Service, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, and many of the surrounding towns to make sure this is the right time to close the highway,” Snohomish County Public Works Director Kelly Snyder said. “We don’t want to wait any longer as we are already seeing some tress come down and the snow is starting to pile up. Our number one priority is to keep the road safe for everyone.”

The 14-mile stretch of the road that will be blocked off is gravel, and it’s closed each winter due to snow and road conditions. Each spring, the Road Maintenance Division coordinates with the U.S. Forest Service to complete any necessary maintenance before it is reopened.

14 miles of the Mountain Loop Highway in Snohomish County will close 12 PM Monday.

Deer Creek Gate to Bedal Gate is closed each winter because of heavy snow and dangerous conditions.

And, Highway 410 across Chinook Pass is closed for the season, as is the North Cascades Hwy. pic.twitter.com/vNTSsn5ZMk

— KIRO Newsdesk (@KIRONewsdesk) November 21, 2020

Snohomish County Public Works says that more than 100 cars on average use this route each day during the summer months, with up to 200 cars per day on the weekend.

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