WASHINGTON — Heavy floodwaters have washed out and damaged miles of highway on US 2, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is firmly reminding people that you should NOT go on these closed roads, for whatever reason.
On Facebook, WSDOT wrote, “*deep sigh* We need to talk. We’ve seen people cycling and recreating between the closure points on US 2. And, I’m going to be honest, we’re disappointed.”
WSDOT crews have been working nonstop to stack sandbags and clear debris while assessing damage and making repairs.
“This is one thing they really shouldn’t have to deal with,” WSDOT wrote.
WSDOT continued: “The road is closed because it’s dangerous, not because we love closing roads.”
If debris slides onto the highway as you ride by or if the ground beneath you buckles and you fall into the river, WSDOT and rescue crews will still come to your aid, but the agency said “that’s personnel, equipment, and resources being diverted away from areas that need them the most.”
For those who are following the “road closed” signs but want to help crews, here’s what WSDOT says:
“The answer is pretty simple: Do not drive in standing water, and do not go around Road Closed signs - whether you’re in a car, on a bike, on foot, or on a hoverboard. That’s it. That’s how you can help.”
In the latest update from Gov. Bob Ferguson, he said that due to the severity of the damage on US 2, the highway is expected to remain closed for months.
Over 50 miles of US 2 is closed in various stretches.