Late start for clearing snow from North Cascades Highway

Associated Press

BELLINGHAM — State transportation workers will get a late start clearing the snow off State Route 20 in the North Cascades.

The Bellingham Herald reports work is expected to start on SR 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway, on April 10 – about four weeks later than usual.

The late start is because weather, snow slides and still-full avalanche chutes make it unsafe to begin any earlier.

Officials are expecting snow clearing to take longer this year because the snow is up to 40 feet deep on the highway near Liberty Bell Mountain.

The work is expected to take eight weeks, putting a possible opening around mid-June.