Potholes A Problem In Chelan Co., Including Chumstick Highway

The roads in North Central Washington are seeing a big increase in instability with temperatures constantly rotating between warmer daytime weather and freezing at night.

Commissioners in Chelan County are reporting that roads have been especially vulnerable to pot holes and buckling lately.

Commissioner Shon Smith says he's noticing that conditions are particularly severe on Chumstick Highway.

"Everyone's patience up there on the Chumstick is greatly appreciated," said Smith. "It is greatly appreciated. It's been a really tough year with a lot of heaving and a lot of road movement. The weight restrictions in place will certainly help keep the heavier stuff off there, and hopefully get us through the spring, and get us to a drier period where we can fix things."

Only emergency vehicles, school buses and cars and trucks that weigh 34,000 pounds or less are allowed on most county roads right now. All other vehicles must possess a special county permit.

Chumstick Highway gets the most traffic of any road managed by the county.

County spokesperson Jill FitzSimmons describes the current time frame as pothole season, which follows snow plow season.

She says there'll be major construction on Chumstick Highway this year.

"It's about a quarter mile before Sunitsch Canyon, and it ends just past Clark Canyon Road," said FitzSimmons. "And that section of road is going to be rebuilt because it is in a state where it does need to be rebuilt at this time."

The county will take bids for the project later this month or in April.

FitzSimmons says the crews will be continually patching potholes on the highway until construction begins this summer.

She also says the majority of complaints over road conditions being handled by the county are related to potholes on Chumstick Highway.

Crews in the five county road districts of Wenatchee, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Entiat and Chelan are currently performing snow and ice control.

The crew are also in the process of cleaning up hazardous trees and performing what’s known as brushing. Brushing is the practice of mowing down brush which sits directly next to the shoulder of roadways.