Traffic Payout

Obviously, I am delighted with yesterday's news that preliminary NHTSA data indicates that traffic fatalities for 2008 have gone down 9%. Unfortunately, our crash and exposure data bases are not sufficient for anyone to ascertain why this has happened. It is certainly logical to "assume" that some of it was due to reductions in driving linked to the economy, especially when you consider that some of the riskiest drivers, such as teens, might be the first to be affected by high gas prices. However, it also makes sense that tougher laws such as primary seat belt requirements and Graduated Driving Licensing, both of which have been proven to work, played a role. It's also logical to assume that the concerted efforts to make cars and roads safer over the past decade contributed as well. Nonetheless, I must ask, "Why haven't we invested enough in our data systems so that we could resolve this issue more easily?" I'm not sure of the answer but we must recognize the ambiguity in this area and understand how multiple factors can contribute to these statistics. And, finally, let us all not forget, even with nearly 3,750 fewer deaths this year, we still have a long way to go because 37,313 people still died and that is unacceptable.

You know it’s spring when we start clearing State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway. Even though it’s not as warm right now as it usually is in the spring, the pass clearing is at least a telltale sign that spring is making a comeback. Crews started clearing the North Cascades Highway on Monday, March 30.



It’s not shorts weather just yet, at least not for me, and not for the crews clearing the passes. When I was up there on Wednesday, April 1, it was 25 degrees and snowed all day. Brrrr! I had two coats and my stocking hat on to try and stay warm. Crews working from the west side of the passes had reached the Easy Pass trailhead, near mile marker 151.5. The snow walls left behind from the snowblowers were about 5 feet tall. While we’ve moved quickly from the west closure gate (at mile marker 134) to the Easy Pass trailhead, the snow will get deeper and it will take longer to move through as crews work their way east.



We have quite a few more miles and several more weeks of work left before we finish clearing the passes. It would be nice if the temperatures warmed up and the snow stopped falling. If this current weather pattern keeps up, we might have to wait another week or two before we get help from additional equipment. We usually bring in extra snow equipment from US 2 Stevens Pass, but it’s hard to recruit their help when they’re still busy fighting snow.

The North Cascades Highway is one of the most scenic and loved passes in the state. Many people love to follow our pass-clearing efforts closely. We try to provide as much information as possible as our crews cut through the snow. Here’s a comprehensive list of ways you can follow our progress:
• E-mail updates
• Twitter updates: follow @terpening and @wsdot
• Flickr pictures and videos
• North Cascades Highway Web page
• Track our progress on the map

The local wildlife like to follow our progress, too. So far, the most popular picture from the pass-clearing work this year is a snowshoe hare (rabbit) checking out our crews at work.