Following the deluge that wreaked havoc on U.S. Highway 2, cutting off key routes to Stevens Pass and Leavenworth, business owners in the usually bustling winter hub of Skykomish have found themselves battling dwindling customer numbers and a steep downturn in revenue. As reported by KOMO News, an employee at Sky River Coffee noted that they "had to shorten our hours on Friday and Saturday," due to the steep drop in customer traffic following the devastating closure.
State officials, assessing the damage that spans across washed out pavements, and landslides, indicated the necessity for extensive repair work. Emergency efforts initiated on December 20 were expected to last for 30 days, however, Gov. Bob Ferguson has raised concerns about the potential months it might take to fully address the damage. Meanwhile, businesses like ski resorts that typically thrive during this time of year have been left to grapple with a significant slump as communities along U.S. Highway 2 await more concrete updates on when full operations can resume. This, after the highway's crucial passageway was first disrupted on December 10 by adverse weather bringing mud, water, and debris.
Nonetheless, there's a ray of hope shining through as FOX 13 Seattle reports that Gov. Ferguson has announced the reopening of Highway 2's east side stretch between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass come Monday. This development will allow Stevens Pass ski resort to renew some of its operations, albeit under altered travel conditions. Governor Ferguson is further expected to provide detailed information on the reopening of the west side of the highway, although an exact timeline for this has not been set.
The official update on the extensive repair work and future plans for Highway 2 is slated to be delivered by Governor Ferguson alongside Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith. The briefing, as per NBC Right Now, is scheduled for today, December 26, at midday from the NWR Transportation Management Center in Shoreline.
