US 2 slope stabilization project between Stevens Pass and Leavenworth begins mid-July

LEAVENWORTH – A project aimed to stabilize slopes alongside a stretch of US 2 in Chelan County will bring delays for travelers this summer.

Beginning Monday, July 21, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will remove rocks from and place netting on unstable slopes at four locations adjacent to US 2 from Stevens Pass to just west of Leavenworth. These slopes have a history of active rockfall. 

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, travelers will encounter single-lane closures, and flagger-controlled traffic at the following locations on US 2:

• Site 1, milepost 60 to 61, near the summit of Stevens Pass
• Site 2, milepost 94, Tumwater Canyon, 5 miles west of Leavenworth
• Site 3, milepost 96
• Site 4, milepost 97 to 98

Rock removal at sites 3 and 4 will require a three-day closure of US 2 at Tumwater Canyon. During the closure, passenger vehicles will follow a 23-mile detour to Chumstick Highway that will add 33 minutes to the trip. Freight traffic must detour using US 97 Blewett Pass. The freight detour adds 151 miles, or two hours and 38 minutes to the drive.

This closure is tentatively planned for late July and early August, depending on slope conditions and work progress. Once the final closure dates are confirmed, the information will be announced in a travel advisory and shared on the project webpage, mountain pass page, real time travel map, and @WSDOT_East on X/Twitter.

The project is expected to finish in late September.