UPDATED at 12:42 p.m.
Cayuse Pass reopened today after crews spent more than two months clearing snow, avalanches and debris from the scenic route through Mount Rainier National Park.
The 4,675-foot pass opened at noon. The route provides access to the east side of Mount Rainier and is a popular shortcut between Enumclaw and U.S. 12.
Crews close the pass during the winter months, however, because of the heavy snow fall.
A five-mile stretch of state Route 7 in east Pierce County will be closed starting Monday so crews can stabilize the hillside.
Last month, a mudslide closed a section of the road near La Grande for several hours.
Starting Monday, crews will begin removing loose rock and material from along the highway. The road will be closed between Alder Lake and La Grande from 4 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Friday.
Limited access will be allowed during the work. A signed detour will be in place for the 1,600 motorists who use the five-mile stretch every day.
Transportation crews cleared …
From Pierce County
The stretch of the Orting-Kapowsin Highway between 260th Street and 288th Street E. is closed temporarily due to localized flooding caused by heavy rains and wildlife activity.
Pierce County road crews closed the section at noon Friday, May 4. A detour route has been set up for drivers. Crews will continue to monitor the site Friday and over the weekend, and will re-open the road when the waters recede.
Recent heavy rains and large beaver dams have affected drainage on the private property on either side of the highway.
Drivers in east Pierce County will need to lay off the gas pedal starting Monday.
The speed limit along Meridian, also known as state Route 161, in Graham will be dropping from 50 to 45 mph, the state DOT reports.
The change effects a 2.5-mile stretch of the highly-traveled route between the Pierce County Fairgrounds and 176th Street.
Transportation crews will post new speed limit signs Monday.
DOT reported that lowering the speed through Graham is “more consistent with other speeds in the vicinity.” It will also create a four-mile stretch of Meridian where the speed limit is 45 mph. …
UPDATED: The Washington State Patrol reports the power pole has been cleaned up and the roadway reopened.
ORIGINAL POST:
The northbound lane of state Route 507 in McKenna is blocked this morning by a downed power pole, the state DOT reports.
Crews from Puget Sound Energy are headed to the scene just north of state Route 702.
The mudslides that had been blocking state Route 7 near La Grande have been cleaned up.
The state Department of Transportation had maintenance crews working on the slides starting Thursday morning. They road was back open this morning, DOT reported.
The slides occurred just outside of the La Grande city limits.
UPDATED at 11:39 a.m.
Northbound traffic along state Route 7 near La Grande is reduced to one lane this morning because of slides.
The state Department of Transportation has maintenance crews on the scene of the slides, which occurred just outside of the La Grande city limits.
A rollover crash is partially blocking a lane of state Route 7 at the Roy Y, the state DOT reports.
The crash is blocking the right northbound lane, DOT says.
Drivers should expect delays around the scene.
UPDATE as of 7:05 a.m.
The crash has been cleared and all lanes are back open to traffic.