Won scenic Sétuk' 'RiVer highway lfim‘ ‘ »‘ . :drops and potholes. is the final . rind—1970s in central Snohonlish -_ vice and Federal Highway Admin- .zinonts helore making design l decisions on that last link. Project The Mountain Loop may yet e finished Hat) :14-mile graveled link remains kt -> ,: casual drive on the Moun- tain Loop Highway in the North Cascades brings spot» tauulnr views of snowcapped ridges. ice ticlds. rushing rivers and mountain goals. But when the two-lane pave. nieiit ends and the gravel begins in a Mantle stretch from the White Chuck River south to Bar- low Pass. motorists may spend as much time concentrating on the road as they do gazing out the window. The narrow road. which lol« lows the Sauk River and is marked by twisting turns. steep unimproved section or a federal highway project started in the County. The county, us, Forest Ser» istratlon are seeking public com. . er witortallo are common along the plans are scheduled to be finished Mounts,” Loop Highway by 199l. with construction lollow~ ing when federal luods become available. Construction would take between two and four years. Paving. Widening and realign. ing the gravel section would cost an estimated $10 in. ion. Once the improvements are made, the road would he turned over to the county for maintenance. > not everyone thinks the pavs mg is necessary. Jack Davis. lormer nnrrington Dlstrtct ranger tor the Forest “You could fix the worst spot . but leave the gravel." said Davis, now manager or the King county Conservation District. “You Just need to add turnotts and parking and fix the trails. You could speild a lot less than Sit) nltllion. and it would tie a lot than: enjoyable lor the people." As is. an average or lstt vullis cles a day travel somewhere I" the 97-mile Mountain Loop Big 7 way during the summer and roll. Barlow Pass also is a popular destination for hikers. climbers and cros country skie David Cameron. founder of the Monte Cristo PIL- rvution Associ- utiun. said additional parking at the oass is more important than.r paving the road. lie questions whcther siiohomish Courity,. would have enough money to“ maintain is more miles ‘or pave- ment when the existing highway is deteriorating. . The Sank River permditrally g. washes out portions ol the gravel road. whi h is one reason why searc in {or gold and_ Monte Iitrislo “had the on . . . to abandon the road loo years ago." said Davi But Darringlon Mayor Charles . northern gateway to the Mountain Loop Highway. said the gravel section should be paved. .i “I've lived here over 70 yeen." he said. l’ve bet-tr on that road. If it isn't blacktopped. it s dangerous because of the dust You can‘t keep it down when you're driving on il. 1 think paving it is safer for ' iid that's what this thing industry in Darrington. a To 1 pnved mountain highway would ht- an economic boost to the town by attracting more visitors. said Ann Rankin. a 37-year Darrington resident. The soaring population in the region means “short day tri s are going to he very dcsirabc tor ininrlics." she said. "We've got a place for people to escape to." .v White. whose town is on (harlot-i ment spending $10 million on something that's not going to bring back $10 million to the city and county." The ronrl project would in- de thinning some of the alder trees that have grown on both sides of the gravel road. \ “Sometimes there‘s a anupy eflect." said Kelley-Clarke There are outstanding scenic outlooks. but they're hidden by vegetation Part of the plan is to do some selective trmutting to open up “some of those vistas." Because the project is in a scenic and environmentally sensi- tive area. representatives or the county. Forest Service and Feder- nl Highway Adm‘ ' lrntion an holding public meetings. 2 first set of mee ngs was held ast month in Darrington and Granite Falls and more will be eduled‘ this summer. At. one oeting, cyclists asked that V a b' cl; lane be added' to the @way — a problem. because ‘ e steep slopes makes every inch (of road width) dillicult and expensive to construe ' said Kel- ley-Clark: . > ' ‘ Those who own cabin: near the highway s ’d pavingdhe grav- et a ‘ttun would bring more traf- fic. which in turn would increase vandalism and litter. “1 think we‘rv‘ going .to have it (more use of the highway) wheth~ er we want it or not," Rankin said later. “If we plan [or . t's better for all concerned" Kalle Clarke said public com- ments which "warrant chanlfas in the design of the road wil be Service, said paving the road would entice motorists to drive lasch “What the road needs is more widening and additional parking so people could stop and ‘O'Ijny the scenery. rather than driving last and not enjoying it." hr- snid. said Jelr Kelley—Clarke. environ- mental coordinator for Snultumlsll County's public works depart- nlenl. “To n large extent. it's u Ultt‘r day scenic drive for people tron. throughout Puget Sourd he said. The Molth Cr. m or Rankin said greater use or the highway could support more res. taurant and the start or bed-and- htcdktasl inns in the town or about 1.000 residents. “There probably is some senti- ment to that," said Davis “But I t-nn't justify the rcilt “fitted into the design process" But Davis said those. who oppose the project should c tact their congressmen. “Hav' g een ttrt of“? federal milanifz on,]l ‘ I I w at a con e o o ., opgosing somethingtut e mmgg) .‘nn Sunk River enhances soonery along the Mounlah Loop Htghway doesn’t mean anything." he said. bu eats away the loadbed in places. making mat enance dillcut govern» , Author: , Accession/Object ID: 2005.324.5, Object Name: Newspaper, Title: , Description: 1980-"The Mountain Loop may yet be finished", OCR Text: Won scenic Sétuk' 'RiVer highway lfim‘ ‘ »‘ . :drops and potholes. is the final . rind—1970s in central Snohonlish -_ vice and Federal Highway Admin- .zinonts helore making design l decisions on that last link. Project The Mountain Loop may yet e finished Hat) :14-mile graveled link remains kt -> ,: casual drive on the Moun- tain Loop Highway in the North Cascades brings spot» tauulnr views of snowcapped ridges. ice ticlds. rushing rivers and mountain goals. But when the two-lane pave. nieiit ends and the gravel begins in a Mantle stretch from the White Chuck River south to Bar- low Pass. motorists may spend as much time concentrating on the road as they do gazing out the window. The narrow road. which lol« lows the Sauk River and is marked by twisting turns. steep unimproved section or a federal highway project started in the County. The county, us, Forest Ser» istratlon are seeking public com. . er witortallo are common along the plans are scheduled to be finished Mounts,” Loop Highway by 199l. with construction lollow~ ing when federal luods become available. Construction would take between two and four years. Paving. Widening and realign. ing the gravel section would cost an estimated $10 in. ion. Once the improvements are made, the road would he turned over to the county for maintenance. > not everyone thinks the pavs mg is necessary. Jack Davis. lormer nnrrington Dlstrtct ranger tor the Forest “You could fix the worst spot . but leave the gravel." said Davis, now manager or the King county Conservation District. “You Just need to add turnotts and parking and fix the trails. You could speild a lot less than Sit) nltllion. and it would tie a lot than: enjoyable lor the people." As is. an average or lstt vullis cles a day travel somewhere I" the 97-mile Mountain Loop Big 7 way during the summer and roll. Barlow Pass also is a popular destination for hikers. climbers and cros country skie David Cameron. founder of the Monte Cristo PIL- rvution Associ- utiun. said additional parking at the oass is more important than.r paving the road. lie questions whcther siiohomish Courity,. would have enough money to“ maintain is more miles ‘or pave- ment when the existing highway is deteriorating. . The Sank River permditrally g. washes out portions ol the gravel road. whi h is one reason why searc in {or gold and_ Monte Iitrislo “had the on . . . to abandon the road loo years ago." said Davi But Darringlon Mayor Charles . northern gateway to the Mountain Loop Highway. said the gravel section should be paved. .i “I've lived here over 70 yeen." he said. l’ve bet-tr on that road. If it isn't blacktopped. it s dangerous because of the dust You can‘t keep it down when you're driving on il. 1 think paving it is safer for ' iid that's what this thing industry in Darrington. a To 1 pnved mountain highway would ht- an economic boost to the town by attracting more visitors. said Ann Rankin. a 37-year Darrington resident. The soaring population in the region means “short day tri s are going to he very dcsirabc tor ininrlics." she said. "We've got a place for people to escape to." .v White. whose town is on (harlot-i ment spending $10 million on something that's not going to bring back $10 million to the city and county." The ronrl project would in- de thinning some of the alder trees that have grown on both sides of the gravel road. \ “Sometimes there‘s a anupy eflect." said Kelley-Clarke There are outstanding scenic outlooks. but they're hidden by vegetation Part of the plan is to do some selective trmutting to open up “some of those vistas." Because the project is in a scenic and environmentally sensi- tive area. representatives or the county. Forest Service and Feder- nl Highway Adm‘ ' lrntion an holding public meetings. 2 first set of mee ngs was held ast month in Darrington and Granite Falls and more will be eduled‘ this summer. At. one oeting, cyclists asked that V a b' cl; lane be added' to the @way — a problem. because ‘ e steep slopes makes every inch (of road width) dillicult and expensive to construe ' said Kel- ley-Clark: . > ' ‘ Those who own cabin: near the highway s ’d pavingdhe grav- et a ‘ttun would bring more traf- fic. which in turn would increase vandalism and litter. “1 think we‘rv‘ going .to have it (more use of the highway) wheth~ er we want it or not," Rankin said later. “If we plan [or . t's better for all concerned" Kalle Clarke said public com- ments which "warrant chanlfas in the design of the road wil be Service, said paving the road would entice motorists to drive lasch “What the road needs is more widening and additional parking so people could stop and ‘O'Ijny the scenery. rather than driving last and not enjoying it." hr- snid. said Jelr Kelley—Clarke. environ- mental coordinator for Snultumlsll County's public works depart- nlenl. “To n large extent. it's u Ultt‘r day scenic drive for people tron. throughout Puget Sourd he said. The Molth Cr. m or Rankin said greater use or the highway could support more res. taurant and the start or bed-and- htcdktasl inns in the town or about 1.000 residents. “There probably is some senti- ment to that," said Davis “But I t-nn't justify the rcilt “fitted into the design process" But Davis said those. who oppose the project should c tact their congressmen. “Hav' g een ttrt of“? federal milanifz on,]l ‘ I I w at a con e o o ., opgosing somethingtut e mmgg) .‘nn Sunk River enhances soonery along the Mounlah Loop Htghway doesn’t mean anything." he said. bu eats away the loadbed in places. making mat enance dillcut govern» , Granite Falls Historical Society,Documents (articles, clippings, letters, papers),General Articles & Documents,General Articles,General Articles 05,Newspaper (2005.324.5),Newspaper (2005.324.5) 1, Newspaper (2005.324.5) 1