SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash.- The Washington State Department of Transportation has begun multiple projects on I-90 between Ellensburg and North Bend. Some construction projects have wrapped up work for the season and will require additional crews in the future.
The I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project has completed its 14th year of construction. 15 miles between Hyak and Easton are in phase three, where crews are adding a new lane both east and westbound, replacing pavement, improving the pavement, stabilizing rocks slopes and building wildlife crossings.
WSDOT says the freeway was closed multiple times this summer for rock blasting to make room for the new lanes. Most work in 2023 was spent excavating and removing 35,000 dump truck loads of dirt.
Traffic will still be shifted through the winter and the rest of the project will last through at least 2028.
A detour bridge was also built near South Cle Elum that will shift traffic through the detour as crews repair the east and westbound bridges.
Crews stabilized the Teanaway River bank to avoid erosion of State Route 970.
Next year, WSDOT will be working on the Vantage Bridge and replacing its entirety. All except one lane each way will be closed on !-90, but will reopen for holidays including Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
Delay are to be expected through the freeway until the project is completed in 2026.
