Crews work to stabilize the hillside above Highway 20, where a June rockslide closed the road and prompted a detour between Rockport and Marblemount. (Washington State Department of Transportation)

Crews work to stabilize the hillside above Highway 20, where a June rockslide closed the road and prompted a detour between Rockport and Marblemount. (Washington State Department of Transportation)

Reopening of Highway 20 after rockslide set for early August

On June 10, about 150 cubic yards of debris slid onto both lanes of the road at milepost 98.

  • Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, Wash.
  • Wednesday, July 22, 2020 8:31am
  • Northwest

Skagit Valley Herald

ROCKPORT — Crews stabilizing the slope above Highway 20 near Rockport are on track to complete their work by early next month, allowing the stretch of highway to reopen.

Travelers currently use a detour on Highway 530, Rockport Cascade Road and Cascade River Road to get around the affected area.

Crews working for the state Department of Transportation will spend the next two weeks drilling into the hillside to insert rock dowels.

These long metal rods will reinforce the hillside to prevent future slides. Grout will anchor the rods and metal plates will be attached to hold the large rocks in place.

Once the hillside is stabilized, crews will remove the remaining fallen rock and debris, and reopen the highway.

The initial slide occurred June 10, dumping about 150 cubic yards of debris onto both lanes of the highway at milepost 98. By morning, more rocks had fallen, piling up to 1,000 cubic yards of debris, enough to fill about 70 dump trucks.

Funding for this project comes from the state’s preservation funds and is expected to cost about $700,000.

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