Annual snow-clearing to begin on Washington State Route 20

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Annual snow-clearing is scheduled to begin this month along a highway in northern Washington state, transportation officials said.

The state Department of Transportation has announced crews will begin clearing a section of State Route 20 on March 23, the Skagit Valley Herald reported.

The 65-mile (105-kilometer) stretch, also known as the North Cascades Highway, between Diablo and Winthrop closed Dec. 11, because of heavy snowfall predictions and avalanche risks, officials said.

The highway has routinely closed between mileposts 130 and 177 in November or December and usually reopens as early as April 3 and as late as May 16 over the past five years, transportation officials said.

Crews have determined after an avalanche chute survey that conditions should be safe to begin clearing snow and rock, and repair avalanche-damaged guardrails.

Work is scheduled to begin March 23 at the east end of the closure near Winthrop, while the west end near Diablo is scheduled to begin snow-clearing work March 30, department officials said, adding that work will continue Monday through Thursday of each week until the two crews meet. The process could take about six weeks to complete.