With all the snow we've been having in the Mountains, the Pass has been closed more often than not these last couple of weeks. Since we had some time, we took a short drive (one exit past ours) to go check out the mess.

We actually stopped in town to pick up some stuff, and when we were getting back on the highway, we saw the trucks stacked up along the side of the ramp... a sure sign that the WSDOT isn't letting people through the Pass.

It was here that we decided to make the drive up to the closure to see how things looked there.

We passed our exit, and saw more trucks parked along the on ramp... the sign let folks know that the end of the road was coming.

Two years ago, under pressure from North Bend, or so the story goes from our Mayor and city council, the DOT widened and reinforced the shoulder to allow trucks to stop along the shoulder should the road be closed... it was so that the stopped trucks wouldn't jam up the city, which apparently was a huge problem.

As we neared the next exit along the Interstate, the cones began to shut down the lanes and guide people to the exit...

they had an additional cone truck, a couple of police cars, a news van, and, which I thought was odd, an alcohol enforcement truck.

The on ramp had a gate across it... the radio said that the Pass likely wouldn't open until the next morning.

Stoppages are good for the shops near the exit... Ken's Restaurant, which we checked out a few weeks ago, was packed - so much so that they were on the news earlier in the day.

 
Even with the Shoulder parking, the North Bend Way extension had quite a few trucks parked along it... apparently, though, they used to back up all the way into town.

So... now we know what it looks like when they close the highway... :)  We're just glad they stop it AFTER our exit - and NOT before!

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