I-90 Snoqualmie Pass

The Washington State Department of Transportation is developing plans to widen 15 miles of Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass, between Hyak and Easton.

For over a decade, WSDOT has evaluated the 15-mile corridor of Snoqualmie Pass – just east of the Snoqualmie Summit – between Hyak and Easton. WSDOT’s I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) details project needs for the entire 15-mile corridor. Funding in the amount of $545 million for the first five miles of the corridor from Hyak to Keechelus Dam, was made possible by the 2005 Transportation Partnership Account. When funding becomes available, WSDOT will improve the remaining 10-miles from Keechelus Dam to Easton.

Safety is a priority for WSDOT, and through the funded I-90 Hyak to Keechelus Dam Project, WSDOT will address several of those concerns. WSDOT will:

•Replace the existing snowshed with a new, longer and wider shed to reduce the risk of avalanches,
•Add a new lane in each direction to reduce congestion and increase safety,
•Widen shoulders and medians to provide clear zones for errant vehicles,
•Straighten sharp curves to increase sight distance,
•Stabilize several rock slopes to minimize the hazard of rock fall, and
•Build new wildlife crossing structures to reduce vehicle-animal collisions and reconnect critical habitats.

Construction of this project will begin in the spring of 2009.