I-90 West from Ellensburg WA

[hotpepperkid]

Just drove I-90 from Ellensburg WA to the Seattle area, what a night mare of a road. I think it is the worst road I have ever been on. There was road construction which wasn't all that bad but beyond the road construction the road was rough and rough and rough. Most of the construction moved right along at around 60

[paulj]

jamesu wrote:
Hard to keep up with the roads in the State of Washington when there so many liberal, social issues to pay for first.

I don't see the connection. Roads, at least state and federal ones, are built and maintained with gas taxes. Schools, parks, jails, etc are paid with sales and property taxes.

[jamesu]

Hard to keep up with the roads in the State of Washington when there so many liberal, social issues to pay for first.

[paulj]

Got keep pace with the Hanford cleanup!

[obgraham]

Major work on a busy highway has to be stretched out over years.

Well they've sure got that part down in WA!

[paulj]

WSDOT has construction work information on this pass. When I looked recently they talked about major east bound resurfacing, and bridge resurfacing west bound (check for details). But the big work that is taking years is on the east side of the pass where they addressing rockfall and avalanche issues. Rock scaling and blasting requires periodic closures. For the avalanched they're replacing the partial shelter with bridges -so the snow goes under rather than over the road. I believe one bridge is done, with another to go.

They can't just close the highway and do all the work in one season. Major work on a busy highway has to be stretched out over years.

http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/passes/snoqualmie/

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/SnoqualmiePassEast

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157608429782191/

1917 conditions

[ScottG]

obgraham wrote:
I think it depends a lot on the vehicle. The westbound lanes on I-90 are really worn down by studded tires. I drive that road frequently -- one of my cars feels like it will come apart on that road, the other glides along pretty nicely.

Of greater interest to me is whether construction in Snoqualmie Pass will finish during the 21st century! It's been under construction for years now. Two weeks ago through there, lots of barriers up, but the only work I could see was two guys with shovels and a wheelbarrow!

No, I think that project is on a cost-plus milk-it contract.

[obgraham]

I think it depends a lot on the vehicle. The westbound lanes on I-90 are really worn down by studded tires. I drive that road frequently -- one of my cars feels like it will come apart on that road, the other glides along pretty nicely.

Of greater interest to me is whether construction in Snoqualmie Pass will finish during the 21st century! It's been under construction for years now. Two weeks ago through there, lots of barriers up, but the only work I could see was two guys with shovels and a wheelbarrow!

[corvettekent]

Well at least it is being worked on.

[ScottG]

Really? We drove that route 9 days ago when we were camped in the area. It has never been particularly rough and much of it has brand new pavement.
Unless your talking about the parts where they've ground the road down in preperation for black-topping?
Even that part wasn't very rough to us in our 1T truck.
You must have great roads in AZ!