Progress made on opening access road

DARRINGTON — Like a lot of folks around Darrington these days, Tom James is eager for an access road that will bypass a stretch of Highway 530 damaged by the deadly March 22 mudslide.

James, 70, is retired and has suffered a series of strokes.

His wife of 46 years works for the Boeing Co. in Everett and has been spending several nights a week with family west of the slide.

“I miss her,” James said. “I would like to see the road back open as much as everyone else.”

Beyond the fear of isolation during medical emergencies and challenge of long, arduous commutes, in Darrington there is a sense of anxiety that the missing link of highway will cost mill jobs that are the backbone of the town’s economy,

Some level of relief should be coming. The state Department of Transportation soon hopes to open the access road, a one-lane, two-mile route along the southern lip of the debris fields. The road won’t be a substitute highway. Travel there will be reserved for commuters to and from Darrington.

Transportation officials say they have secured the right-of-way agreements they need. They are now waiting for emergency response workers to hand over the reins to the road. Details of the agreements with property owners were not released Friday.

Although they don’t have a specific date for the handoff, “it will be sooner rather than later,” said Travis Phelps, a state Department of Transportation spokesman.

The state earlier this week awarded a contract to Granite Construction Co. of Everett to operate and maintain the roadway. The $3.4 million contract calls for the road to be open around the clock, seven days a week, for limited access.

Those drivers allowed on the route should expect delays. Traffic will restricted to one direction at a time with pilot cars guiding drivers each way. The speed limit will be 10 mph. Once drivers are on the road, they will not be allowed to stop or pull over for the 20 minute drive.

“Safety is going to be the number one priority,” Phelps said.

State transportation officials have scheduled a series of meetings for next week to discuss what’s next for Highway 530 as well as the access road.

The state has begun to advertise for a contractor to remove the remainder of material along the blocked stretch of Highway 530 once the search efforts are complete. County leaders are set to speak Monday about bringing a close to the active search effort.

There’s still an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of debris on the roadway, which could take up to three months to clear.

State officials hope to have one lane of Highway 530 open for local traffic by the fall, Phelps said. However, the roadway underneath the slide could be significantly damaged and it’s too soon to tell if it will be safe enough to drive once the debris has been cleared.

Transportation officials also say it is too early to know when a more permanent fix for the highway will happen. Engineers know that the Stillaguamish River has carved a new path and the geography of the valley has changed dramatically. They say they’ll need more information before they can develop road designs and a proposed route. Once those decisions are made they can develop cost estimates and project timelines.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.

Highway 530

A series of meetings to discuss what’s next for a stretch of Highway 530 blocked by the March 22 mudslide is set for next week. Here’s the schedule:

*Darrington — 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Darrington Community Center, 570 Sauk Ave.

*Arlington — 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Stillaguamish Senior Center, 18308 Smokey Point Blvd.

*Oso — 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Oso Community Chapel, 22318 Highway 530.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Trader Joe’s customers walk in and out of the store on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Trader Joe’s opens this week at Everett Mall

It’s a short move from a longtime location, essentially across the street, where parking was often an adventure.

Ian Bramel-Allen enters a guilty plea to second-degree murder during a plea and sentencing hearing on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Deep remorse’: Man gets 17 years for friend’s fatal stabbing in Edmonds

Ian Bramel-Allen, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder for killing Bret Northcutt last year at a WinCo.

Firefighters respond to a small RV and a motorhome fire on Tuesday afternoon in Marysville. (Provided by Snohomish County Fire Distrct 22)
1 injured after RV fire, explosion near Marysville

The cause of the fire in the 11600 block of 81st Avenue NE had not been determined, fire officials said.

Ashton Dedmon appears in court during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett Navy sailor sentenced to 90 days for fatal hit and run

Ashton Dedmon crashed into Joshua Kollman and drove away. Dedmon, a petty officer on the USS Kidd, reported he had a panic attack.

A kindergarten student works on a computer at Emerson Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘¡Una erupción!’: Dual language programs expanding to 10 local schools

A new bill aims to support 10 new programs each year statewide. In Snohomish County, most follow a 90-10 model of Spanish and English.

Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Everett, delivers the annual state of the city address Thursday morning in the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center in Everett, Washington on March 31, 2022.  (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
At Everett mayor’s keynote speech: $35 entry, Boeing sponsorship

The city won’t make any money from the event, city spokesperson Simone Tarver said. Still, it’s part of a trend making open government advocates wary.

Logo for news use featuring the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Woman drives off cliff, dies on Tulalip Reservation

The woman fell 70 to 80 feet after driving off Priest Point Drive NW on Sunday afternoon.

Everett
Boy, 4, survives fall from Everett fourth-story apartment window

The child was being treated at Seattle Children’s. The city has a limited supply of window stops for low-income residents.

People head out to the water at low tide during an unseasonably warm day on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett shatters record high temperature by 11 degrees

On Saturday, it hit 73 degrees, breaking the previous record of 62 set in 2007.

Snohomish County Fire District #4 and Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue respond to a motor vehicle collision for a car and pole. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, near Triangle Bait & Tackle in Snohomish. (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office)
Police: Troopers tried to stop driver before deadly crash in Snohomish

The man, 31, was driving at “a high rate of speed” when he crashed into a traffic light pole and died, investigators said.

Alan Dean, who is accused of the 1993 strangulation murder of 15-year-old Bothell girl Melissa Lee, appears in court during opening statements of his trial on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
31 years later, trial opens in Bothell teen’s brutal killing

In April 1993, Melissa Lee’s body was found below Edgewater Creek Bridge. It would take 27 years to arrest Alan Dean in her death.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Snohomish in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Man dies after crashing into pole in Snohomish

Just before 1 a.m., the driver crashed into a traffic light pole at the intersection of 2nd Street and Maple Avenue.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.