wsdot snoqualmie rant

Annnnd...still closed: "I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is closed both directions from MP 34, near North Bend to MP 106, near Ellensburg due to multiple collisions and spinouts. It is estimated that reopening time will be 10 p.m. depending on control work, clean up and weather conditions."

And the clusterf$$k continues. I salute you, drivers of WA state, your ability to fail never ceases to amaze. Hopefully some people are enjoying some empty slope night skiing this evening!

Maybe the WSDOT or WSP could at least implement a public shaming policy? A web page dedicated to the drivers responsible for ruining it for all would be fun.

I gotta admit that the pass is a perfect storm. Curves, incline, safe at 70 mph to enter and exit below 1000' elev., black ice and a very different type of greasy snow that most are accustomed to.  Last week the snow had me trapped in River Bend on our little incline. I foolishly got halfway up and had to stop. Took me 15 min to back down 200' one inch at a time and in neutral. Had I started sliding it would have been a backward bobsled ride to the bottom with no steering. I wasn't dumb but I was ignorant.

From a city-data forum running 10 pages titled" I-90 is dangerous (Bellevue, Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie Pass"

"Here is the problem. I was coming home on I-90 from Spokane. Everybody from eastern Washington was running studs or chains and going about 35 MPH. Spacing was several hundred yards between cars. We were all passed by a guy from Bellevue going 70 mph. I got up with him at the rest spot coming out as I was going in. In made a comment, to the effect that he was going very fast for conditions. His answer " IT IS STILL POSTED 70 MPH".

Dumb, ignorant or both. You be the judge.

If this was NY (Insert NY accent here-"Taxes? Hah! I laugh at your stinking taxes. So whats another tax?!!") they would put a toll booth at the chain up areas and use the funds for the 35 mph escort vehicles required. (Some portion of the cost would also go the the mob for concrete delivery and a job for some state representatives idiot brother in law).

I'm not really joking and certainly not advocating but it would would take a multi car pileup involving the Presidential motorcade to get anything accomplished IMO. The situation will resolve itself when cars are driving themselves in 10-15 years.

The situation will resolve itself when cars are driving themselves in 10-15 years.

I doubt it. Two words: "manual override". It's a safety feature.

Now if only the WSDOT would provide a web page that would predict when they might close the pass. It sure would be nice to know if they might close it tomorrow at 8am say. And then like if it were going to be closed for an hour or five. I probably should just leave at 7am, drive really fast, crash my car, and then I could be to blame for closing the pass.

Yeah this is a really old rant that is repeated year after year. Obviously wsdot works really hard and are way under-funded. I love the picture from a few years ago....yikes.

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Maybe the WSDOT or WSP could at least implement a public shaming policy?...

Given how many repeat offender DUIs there are in this state -- good luck with that.

Androolus, the main problem is recently none of these closures have been planned. This is 3 out of 4 days now where morons (i.e. the aforementioned bellevueite driving 70mph, and my favorite example, the lowered honda w/ summer tires) have grouped up to wipe out and get stuck on the hill. Then semis, even if chained, have to slow down for this, one slips, jackknives, and the party is started. They always will post it when they are planning to do avy work, which is the other cause for closure.d

The eastbound lanes seem to get closed far more often. That final hill is steeper than the eastern approach, but also I think it has to do with what Wooley eluded too: the drivers from east side of the state are far more prepared than those coming from the west.

Noticed Stevens has been closed pretty much every morning the past week for avy control, yet not once has it been closed for crashes. It's twistier, but perhaps the narrower highway and overall more threatening feeling to that highway causes people to not try to Jeff Gordon across it like on Snoqualmie? Or does the higher elevation make for better driving conditions, e.g. packed snow instead of ice, slush and standing water?