Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Forest Service closes Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road

AAI just received the following email from Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest about the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road.

Beginning September 8, 2009 the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road will be closed at the forest boundary gate approximately mile post 8.0.

“This is for everyone’s safety,” said Jim Franzel, Snoqualmie District Ranger. “We don’t want people trying to dodge heavy equipment while contractors are repairing the road.” People who violate the closure can subject to a ticket and fined, Franzel said. The road is closed to all motorized and non-motorized access to the Middle Fork campground, Arch Bridge and all roads up the valley to the Dingford Creek gate including road access to Goldmyer Hotsprings, Dutch Miller Gap, and Taylor River Trail, he said.

The Middle Fork campground and trails will be open for Labor Day weekend. The closure will go into effect on Tuesday, September 8. “We are hoping to have the bridge and road repairs completed by early December," Franzel said.

The Middle Fork Road suffered extensive flood damage and washed out the Taylor River Bridge during the winter storms of 2008-09. “Numerous road sections, stream crossings, bridges and culverts will be repaired,” said Franzel. “Contractors will be hauling rock and using the road as a staging area for bridge repair,” he said.

“Middle Fork is a very popular day use recreation area on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, as well as major access portal to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness,” Franzel said.

The bridge replacement and road repair is part of the Federal Highways Emergency Flood Relief program. Funding for the road repair comes from the Western Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration under the Emergency Relief to Federally Owned Roads Program.

Unfortunately, the upper road above Taylor River also received damage during the previous winter storms. These sites are scheduled for repairs next year. For more information about roads and trail closures, go to alerts and conditions on http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/

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