Washington State Route 20

Route map:
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

State Route 20 marker

State Route 20

North Cascades Highway
Map
SR 20 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WSDOT
Length436.13 mi[1] (701.88 km)
Mileage does not include ferry route
Existed1964[2]–present
Tourist
routes
Major junctions
West end US 101 in Discovery Bay
Major intersections
East end US 2 in Newport
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountiesJefferson, Island, Skagit, Whatcom, Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille
Highway system
← SR 19→ SR 21

State Route 20 (SR 20), also known as the North Cascades Highway, is a state highway that traverses the U.S. state of Washington. It is the state's longest highway, traveling 436 miles (702 km) across the northern areas of Washington, from U.S. Route 101 (US 101) at Discovery Bay on the Olympic Peninsula to US 2 near the Idaho state border in Newport. The highway travels across Whidbey Island, North Cascades National Park, the Okanagan Highland, the Kettle River Range, and the Selkirk Mountains. SR 20 connects several major north–south state highways, including Interstate 5 (I-5) in Burlington, US 97 through the Okanogan–Omak area, SR 21 in Republic, and US 395 from Kettle Falls to Colville.

SR 20's path across the Cascades follows one of the oldest state roads in Washington, established in 1896 as a

wagon route. The wagon road fell into disuse within a decade, and the state government postponed the construction of a new route across the North Cascades for several decades. The development of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project spurred boosters to lobby the state for a new route across Washington Pass, which was opened in 1972.[3] SR 20 originally ran from the Mount Vernon area to Okanogan. By 1973, SR 20 was extended over existing state highways in northern Washington, replacing SR 113 and portions of SR 525 and SR 536 near Port Townsend; SR 30 and SR 294 from Tonasket to Tiger; and part of SR 31
from Tiger to Newport.

Although US 12 has a larger east–west extent, SR 20 is the longest highway in Washington at 436.13 miles (701.88 km), only 5.3 miles (8.5 km) longer than US 12.[1] The highway has been called "The Most Beautiful Mountain Highway in the State of Washington."[4]

North Cascades Highway

Route description

Liberty Bell Mountain from 5,477-foot (1,669 m) elevation Washington Pass on North Cascades Highway

SR 20 begins at a wye junction with

Port Townsend–Coupeville ferry which travels northeast across the Admiralty Inlet to the Keystone terminal on Whidbey Island.[5] The ferry, operated by Washington State Ferries, takes approximately 30 minutes between terminals and runs year-round.[6]

From the Keystone ferry terminal, located adjacent to

Deception Pass State Park. The highway leaves Whidbey Island on the Deception Pass Bridge, crossing over Deception Pass, Pass Island, and Canoe Pass on its way to Fidalgo Island.[5]

SR 20 continues northeast, passing between Lake Campbell and

Cascade Mountains and passing the towns of Lyman and Concrete, located below Lake Shannon and Baker Lake. At Rockport, SR 20 intersects the eastern terminus of SR 530, which continues towards Darrington and Arlington.[5]

After passing

Rainy Pass and briefly joins the Pacific Crest Trail as it travels around Whistler Mountain, climbing up into Chelan County. SR 20 turns north and crosses Washington Pass into Okanogan County, making a hairpin turn and beginning its descent into Eastern Washington.[5][9]

SR 20 travels northeast along Early Winters Creek and the base of

Okanogan Highlands.[5]

It climbs Bonaparte Creek and crosses

Sherman Pass Scenic Byway, carrying the concurrent SR 20 and SR 21, and follows the Sanpoil River. SR 21 leaves the byway at Sanpoil Lake, while SR 20 travels into the Kettle River Range along O'Brien Creek. The highway dips south into the Colville National Forest and climbs the ridge, crossing Sherman Pass in a series of hairpin turns. The pass, located 5,575 feet (1,699 m) above sea level, is the highest in the state.[11] SR 20 descends along Sherman Creek towards Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake on the Columbia River, which it crosses on a highway concurrent with US 395. The two routes travel east through Kettle Falls, intersecting SR 25, and follow the Colville River upstream to the city of Colville.[5][11]

At Colville, SR 20 turns east away from US 395 and continues into the southern reaches of the Selkirk Mountains. The highway forms the northern boundary of the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge and follows the Little Pend Oreille River north through a series of glacial lakes.[12] After entering Pend Oreille County, SR 20 makes a series of hairpin turns to descend into the Pend Oreille Valley.[11] At an intersection with SR 31 in Tiger, the highway turns south to follow the Pend Oreille River, becoming part of the International Selkirk Loop and Pend Oreille Scenic Byway in the process.[13] SR 20 continues south along the river, joined by the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad, and intersects SR 211 at Usk. Approximately 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Usk, the highway terminates at US 2, just west of the Washington–Idaho state line.[5]

Names and designations

Portions of SR 20 are known as the North Cascades Highway (originally the North Cross State Highway), which is a designated

Washington State Scenic Byway and a National Forest Scenic Byway. The Sherman Pass Scenic Byway begins at Republic, and extends 40 miles (64 km) east across the mountainous Kettle River Range, Colville National Forest, and the Columbia River through Kettle Falls to Sherman Pass
.

The highway also forms most of the Washington segment of U.S. Bicycle Route 10, which travels between Anacortes and the Montana state border.

Annual closure

Q-Q plot for first opening/final closing dates[14]

SR 20 is one of only five State Routes in Washington that have portions closed in the winter (the others being SR 410, SR 123, SR 504, and SR 165). Washington Pass (elev. 5,477 feet or 1,669 meters) and nearby Rainy Pass (elev. 4,875 feet or 1,486 meters) annually receive up to 15 feet (4.6 m) of snow throughout the winter, and are prone to avalanches leaving over 20 feet (6.1 m) of snow on the road.[14]

As of November 2021, the median first open date was April 21. The median final closure date was November 24. During the drought of the winter of 1976/77, the highway was not closed.[14]

History

What is known today as the North Cascades Highway was originally the corridor used by local Native American tribes as a trading route from

California Gold Rush of 1849, white settlers started to arrive in the North Cascades looking for gold as well as fur-bearing animals. This far north, the settlers needed a clear route through some of the most rugged terrain in Washington Territory
.

Kangaroo Ridge is due east of Washington Pass.

It wasn't until 1895, however, that funding to explore a possible route through the Cascade Range was appropriated.

After one year of surveying possible routes in the Upper Skagit River region, the State Road Commission concluded in 1896 that the

Methow Valley
. This road was completed in 1909.

By 1936, both of

Rainy and Washington Pass. In 1953, the North Cascades Highway Association was formed with politicians, lobbyists, and business owners from both sides of the North Cascades taking part. As these boosters pushed Olympia
harder to move forward on the highway plan, more and more requests for huge sales of old-growth timber from along the highway corridor came in. These increasing timber requests were used to support the need for a highway.

Finally, in 1958, the State of Washington appropriated funds to build a highway from the Seattle City Light company town of Diablo to Thunder Arm, a southern arm of

Methow Valley town of Winthrop, Washington
, was in the process of transforming itself from a sleepy cow-town into a tourist town with a western-style theme, complete with false-front buildings and boardwalk sidewalks. Finally, in mid-1972, the more-than-a-century-old idea of connecting western Washington with eastern Washington by a northern highway route had come to fruition.

Amidst fanfare, music provided by the

Richard M. Nixon's brother Edward were in attendance for the opening and vehicle procession over the Cascade Mountains.[17][18] The highway's construction came with conservation measures and upgrades to camping facilities in the then-new North Cascades National Park to handle the expected traffic.[19]

In 2023, the Okanagan County section of SR 20 was designated as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.[20]

For several weeks in August 2023, the Newhalem–Rainy Pass section of SR 20 was closed due to the Sourdough Fire and Blue Lake Fire.[21]

Associated routes

From 1964 until 1973, SR 20 was designated as SR 113 from

Primary and secondary highways.[22] In 1964, these two highways became SR 113, as part of a new numbering system created by the Washington State Legislature and the Washington State Department of Transportation.[23] When SR 20 was extended west from Fredonia in 1973,[24] SR 113 was decommissioned.[25][26][27] The Port Townsend–Keystone ferry wasn't technically part of SR 20 until 1994 when all of the Washington State Ferries routes were added to the state highway system.[28][29]

SR 20; and SR 20 Spur were the western segments of SR 536 from 1964 until 1973. This map also details the former numbering of SR 20 south of Sharpes Corner toward Deception Pass and Whidbey Island.

From Coupeville to Sharpes Corner (just outside Anacortes), the modern SR 20 was designated SR 525, and prior to 1964 as SSH 1D. When the North Cascades Highway was completed, and the SR 20 designation extended Westward, the SR 525 designation was supplanted to Coupeville.

From Mt. Vernon to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal, the modern SR 20 (and SR 20 Spur, west of Sharpes Corner) was designated SR 536, and prior to 1964 as the Anacortes Branch of PSH 1. When the North Cascades Highway was completed, and the SR 20 designation extended westward, the SR 536 designation was supplanted, and the SR 20 Spur designation created to keep the route to the ferry terminal within the highway system.

From 1964 to 1973, the route from Colville to Tiger was designated as SR 294, and the route from Tiger to Newport as SR 31.

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Jefferson​0.000.00 US 101 – Quilcene, Olympia, Port Angeles
​7.7912.54
 SR 19 south – Port Ludlow
Port Townsend–Keystone Ferry
Mukilteo Ferry
San Juan Ferry
​54.0787.02Farm to Market Road, Best RoadFormer
SR 237
​54.6287.90
 SR 536 east – Mount Vernon		No access from SR 20 west to SR 536 east
Seattle
I-5 exit 230.
Sedro-Woolley64.37103.59
 SR 9 south – Arlington		West end of SR 9 overlap
65.64105.64
 SR 9 north (Township Street) – Sumas		East end of SR 9 overlap
Rockport97.21156.44
 SR 530 west – Darrington, Arlington
Whatcom
 No major junctions
Skagit
 No major junctions
Chelan
 No major junctions
Okanogan​203.48327.47
 SR 153 south – Chelan, Wenatchee
​229.99370.13Old 97 (
SR 213) – Malott, Brewster
US 97 Bus. north – Okanogan, Omak
West end of US 97 Bus. overlap
​232.70374.49
 US 97 south – Wenatchee		East end of US 97 Bus. overlap; west end of US 97 overlap
Grand Coulee Dam
​238.84384.38
US 97 Bus. – Omak
Tonasket261.34420.59
 US 97 north (Whitcomb Avenue) – Oroville		East end of US 97 overlap
FerryRepublic302.03486.07
 SR 21 south (Clark Avenue) – Keller, Wilbur		West end of SR 21 overlap
​304.59490.19
Grand Forks, BC
East end of SR 21 overlap
​341.43549.48
Grand Forks, BC
West end of US 395 overlap
Trail, BC, Davenport
Colville353.68569.19
 US 395 south (Main Street) – Spokane		East end of US 395 overlap
Pend Oreille​389.66627.10
 SR 31 north – Ione, Border Crossing
​420.70677.05
 SR 211 south – Spokane
Newport436.13701.88 US 2 – Sandpoint, Spokane
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Spur and business routes

SR 20 Spur

Spur plate.svg

State Route 20 Spur marker

State Route 20 Spur

LocationAnacortes, Washington
Existed1964–present
The western land terminus of SR 20 Spur is the Anacortes Ferry Terminal

State Route 20 Spur (SR 20 Spur, also State Route 20 North and the Paul Luvera Sr. Memorial Highway) is a 7.78-mile (12.52 km)

Primary State Highway 1, which became SR 536 in 1964 and renumbered to SR 20 Spur and SR 20 in 1973. In 1994, SR 20 was extended along the San Juan Islands ferry, which serves Lopez Island, Shaw Island, Orcas Island and San Juan Island
.

Map of SR 20 Spur

State Route 20 Spur (SR 20 Spur) begins at an intersection with State Route 20 southeast of downtown

daily average of 23,000 motorists in 2007.[33]

SR 20 Spur was established in 1937 as the

1964 highway renumbering to SR 536, SSH 1D became SR 525 and PSH 16 became SR 20.[23][25] When SR 20 was extended west to Discovery Bay from Fredonia in 1974, SR 536 was shortened and SR 20 Spur was created.[24][36] The roadway ended at the Anacortes ferry terminal until 1994, when the route was routed onto the San Juan Islands ferry operated by Washington State Ferries.[37][38]

SR 20 Business

SR 20 Business was a bannered route through

US 97, while SR 20 bypasses the cities along with US 97 along the East Bank of the Okanogan River. This route has been replaced with SR 215
.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Multimodal Planning Division (January 27, 2017). State Highway Log Planning Report 2016, SR 2 to SR 971 (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. pp. 417–478. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  2. ^ "47.17.080: State route No. 20". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. 1970. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  3. ^ "SR 20 - North Cascades Highway - History". Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  4. ISBN 0-87004-371-4
    .
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Google (November 16, 2017). "State Route 20" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  6. OCLC 60653420
    . Retrieved November 18, 2017 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (PDF) (Map). National Park Service. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  8. ^ McQuaide, Mike (July 1, 2010). "A milepost guide to the North Cascades Highway". The Seattle Times. p. D8. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  9. ^ North Cascades National Park (PDF) (Map). National Park Service. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  10. ^ Lacitis, Erik (April 19, 2010). "SOLD: 1 tiny town, to Bothell couple, for $360,000". The Seattle Times. p. A1. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  11. ^
    OCLC 52126033
    . Retrieved December 6, 2017 – via Google Books.
  12. OCLC 893674424
    . Retrieved December 10, 2017 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ "International Selkirk Loop: Washington Map". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c "Mountain pass closure and opening dates". Roads & bridges. Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  15. Port Angeles Evening News
    . p. 3. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "East meets West in first vehicular crossing of North Cross-State Highway". The Spokesman-Review. September 30, 1968. p. 6.
  17. ^ "Cross-state route hailed at ceremony". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. September 4, 1972. p. 6.
  18. ^ "History of North Cascades Highway". Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  19. ^ Mertena, Bill (September 12, 1972). "Will developers blight North Cascades route?". The Daily Chronicle. p. 6. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Hires, Brock (May 31, 2023). "Highway 20 designated as 'Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway'". Omak Chronicle. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  21. ^ Zhou, Amanda (August 30, 2023). "North Cascades Highway reopens for travel; 2 fires continue to burn". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  22. ^ Washington State Legislature (1937). "Chapter 190: Establishment of Primary State Highways; Chapter 207: Classification of Public Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1937 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. pp. 938, 995, 1006. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  23. ^ a b Prahl, C. G. (December 1, 1965). "Identification of State Highways" (PDF). Washington State Highway Commission, Department of Highways. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  24. ^ a b Washington State Legislature (1975). "RCW 47.17.081: State route No. 20 north". Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  25. ^ a b Victoria, 1966 (Map). 1:250,000. Cartography by USGS. United States Geological Survey. 1966. Retrieved June 20, 2009 – via University of Texas at Austin.
  26. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (1980). "Annual Traffic Report, 1980" (PDF). p. 71. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  27. ^ Seattle, 1965 (Map). 1:250,000. Cartography by USGS. United States Geological Survey. 1965. Retrieved June 20, 2009 – via University of Texas at Austin.
  28. Washington State House of Representatives (March 30, 1994). "Substitute House Bill 2618; Chapter 209, Laws of 1994"
    (PDF). Washington State Legislature. Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  29. ^ Washington State Legislature (March 30, 1994). "HB 2618 – 1993–94: Adding ferry water routes to the state highway system". Retrieved June 20, 2009.
  30. ^ Google (June 18, 2009). "State Route 20 Spur" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  31. ISBN 1-894570-90-1. Archived from the original
    on August 13, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  32. ^ City of Anacortes Address Map, 2009 (PDF) (Map). City of Anacortes. March 31, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  33. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (2007). "2007 Annual Traffic Report" (PDF). pp. 100–101. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  34. ^ Washington State Legislature (1937). "Chapter 190: Establishment of Primary State Highways; Chapter 207: Classification of Public Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1937 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. pp. 933, 994–995. Retrieved June 18, 2009. A primary state highway to be known as Primary State Highway No. 1, or the Pacific Highway, is hereby established according to description as follows: Beginning at the international boundary line in the vicinity of Blaine in Whatcom county, thence in a southerly direction by the most feasible route by way of Bellingham, thence to the east of Lake Samish, thence in a southerly direction by the most feasible route by way of Mt. Vernon, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia, Chehalis, Kelso and Vancouver to the Washington-Oregon boundary line on the interstate bridge over the Columbia river; also beginning at Bellingham on Primary State Highway No. 1, as herein described, thence in an easterly direction by the most feasible route to a point in the vicinity of Austin Pass in Whatcom county; also beginning at Bellingham on Primary State Highway No. 1, as herein described, thence in a southerly direction by the most feasible route by way of Blanchard to a junction with Primary State Highway No. 1, as herein described, in the vicinity of Mt. Vernon; also beginning at Mt. Vernon on Primary State Highway No. 1, as herein described, thence in a westerly direction by the most feasible route to Anacortes; also beginning at Everett in the vicinity of Broadway Avenue, thence in a southwesterly direction by the most feasible route to a junction with Primary State Highway No. 1, as herein described, in the vicinity south of Everett; (c) Secondary State Highway No. 1C; beginning at a junction with Primary State Highway No. 1 in the vicinity south of Blanchard, thence in a southerly direction by the most feasible route to a junction with Primary State Highway No. 1 in the vicinity of Whitney; also beginning at Burlington on Primary State Highway No. 1, thence in a westerly direction by the most feasible route to a junction with Secondary State Highway No. 1C, as herein described, in the vicinity north of Whitney; (d) Secondary State Highway No. 1D; beginning at a junction with Primary State Highway No. 1 in the vicinity southeast of Anacortes, thence southerly by the most feasible route by way of Deception Pass to the vicinity of Columbia Beach in the southern portion of Whidbey Island.
  35. ^ Washington State Legislature (1961). "Chapter 13: Public Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1961 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 520. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  36. ^ Washington State Legislature (1964). "RCW 47.17.080: State route No. 20". Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  37. Washington State House of Representatives (March 30, 1994). "Substitute House Bill 2618; Chapter 209, Laws of 1994"
    (PDF). Washington State Legislature. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  38. ^ Washington State Legislature (March 30, 1994). "HB 2618, 1993–94: Adding ferry water routes to the state highway system". Retrieved June 18, 2009.

External links

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