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Washington Highway News, 1962

Washington Highway News, Jan 1962, p. 19 - Gray, Jerry, "Sprinkle With Snow"

In 1912 the State Highway Commissioner recommended construction of thirty miles of road from Easton to North Bend over Snoqualmie Pass for an estimated cost of $350,000 to $450,000. By 1914, contracts had been awarded for actual construction. In 1922, Snoqualmie Pass was opened to traffic but for nine years travel on the road was restricted to summer months only. In the 1922-24 biennium snow removal was initiated on Washington roads but this effort did not extend to the mountain passes. In the winter of 1930-31, Snoqualmie Pass was kept open all winter for the first time. This was a winter of unusually light snowfall which totalled 28 feet. The operation was successful and demonstrated the feasibility as well as the necessity of continuing it every year.

In 1936, the Highway Department was keeping three passes, Snoqualmie, Blewett and Satus, open throughout the winter. On Stevens and Chinook passes, snow was plowed out as far as could resonably be done to insure a more speedy opening in the spring. The Mt Baker Highway was also kept open to permit the enjoyment of winter sports. In 1936, as many as 2,500 automobiles parked along the Snoqualmie pass highway on Sunday afternoons in winter.

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