Historic flooding earlier this month caused severe damage along State Route 2 near Leavenworth, leaving the highway partially washed out and forcing an extended closure as crews work through winter conditions.
At a press conference Friday, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced that SR-2 will partially reopen starting Monday using a pilot-car system and a detour.
The limited reopening will apply to the stretch between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass on the east side, providing access to the Stevens Pass Ski Area.
The governor said the west side of the highway will take longer to reopen, citing the extent of the damage and ongoing repair challenges.
Fully opening SR 2 is going to take a long time. We're still evaluating the full extent of the damage. Some repairs will need to wait for the snow to clear.
— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) December 26, 2025
However, we understand that access, even if limited access, is extremely important. Starting this Monday at 6 a.m., we…
The flooding in early December carved away large sections of the highway, destroyed drainage systems and sent guardrails tumbling into the river east of Leavenworth.
Entire portions of the roadway are missing, including about 50 feet of the eastbound SR-2 lane, according to Washington State Department of Transportation.
Crews are actively clearing debris and making small repairs at several locations, including near Skykomish, Stevens Pass Summit and Leavenworth.
Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said state crews told him they are working under a 30-day timeline to clean up debris and stabilize damaged areas, though officials caution that does not mean the road will reopen within that window.
WSDOT spokesperson Lauren Loebsack said the agency cannot yet give a firm reopening date.
“People should prepare for an extended closure — we just genuinely don’t know,” Loebsack said.
She explained that much of the damaged roadway, drainage infrastructure and guardrail near Leavenworth was washed directly into the river.
Morrison confirmed no one was driving through that stretch when the washout occurred and no injuries were reported.
Winter weather is now complicating repair efforts. Loebsack said crews can work in cold, snow and icy conditions, but only when it is safe to do so, and those conditions are slowing progress.
“There are times when those conditions and moving of the snow is going to be what they’re working on, and they have to tackle that as it comes,” Loebsack said. “So the timeline of when they open is difficult so early on.”
The closure has taken a toll on Leavenworth businesses during what is typically one of their busiest seasons.
Anita Hamilton, with Andreas Keller, said the days leading up to Christmas are usually packed with visitors.
“We have thousands and thousands of visitors normally this time of year, and you wouldn’t be able to sit here,” Hamilton said. “But there’s maybe half a dozen people for lunch.”
She said the first weekend after the atmospheric river hit, Leavenworth was nearly empty due to widespread power outages.
While electricity has since been restored and businesses are open, she said weekends have improved but weekdays remain slow.
Heidi Forchemer, owner of The Gingerbread Factory, said the reduced traffic is creating uncertainty for small businesses.
“This lack of traffic is going to impact many of the small businesses, including ours,” Forchemer said.
Detours remain in place, with Leavenworth accessible via Interstate 90 and Blewett Pass.
Local leaders and business owners say they hope the partial reopening will help bring visitors back as repairs continue — and even Santa Claus joined the call for people to return.
“We are open for business,” Santa said. “Come to Leavenworth. It’s open, they’re ready for you, it’s time to celebrate together.”
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