Update 971: Important Washington State Highway Still Closed

Update 971: Important Washington State Highway Still Closed

An important Washington State Highway is still closed with no new open date projected according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Detour Drama: The Ongoing Closure of Washington’s Highway 971

A massive landslide on March 3rd has shut down portions of SR 971 near milepost 11 near Lake Chelan.

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The highway shutdown has caused long detours for drivers and school buses, and the WSDOT is working to get the landslide cleared.

The interesting thing happened as another landslide fell on the same landslide on Monday, March 10th.

WSDOT is estimating that there is over 1400 yards of material in the slide including 50-60 large boulders above the road.

For now, WSDOT is most concerned with the spring weather which will bring rain showers that'll make the whole area prone to more landslides.

It might surprise you to discover that a lot of these projects aren't funded and even cleanup is quite expensive according to an article from the WSDOT.

Stuck in Neutral: Why You Can't Drive on WA Highway 971 Yet

So what happens next you ask?

The Washington State Department of Transportation says that any fix is dependent on contractor and funding availability. Plan that the road will remain closed, probably for several more weeks.

It'll be interesting as Lake Chelan will start seeing new travelers and visitors as spring starts, and having an important portion of WA State Route 971 closed down is a hassle for drivers and the WSDOT alike.

You can read more about the road updates, open and closures here.