I received word that the decision to repair the Index-Galena road is set to be made soon and officials are waning due to the lack of noise on the issue. See below.

Repairs to this road would open access back up to the North Fork of the Sky instead of having to go up and over Jacks Pass.

Please get loud and write letters to the following officials:

Jeffrey Paniati
FHWA Executive Director,
Southeast Federal Center Building
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington, DC 20590-9898
(202)366-2242     

Lynn Peterson
Sec of Transportation
WSDOT
310 Maple Park Ave SE
PO Box 47300
Olympia WA 98501-1284
     
Dan Mathis
FHWA Division Admin,
711 South Capital Way #501
Olympia WA 98501-1284
(360)753-9480/753-9889     

Annique Bennett
Strategic Tourism Coordinator.
Snohomish County Office of Economic Development
Annique.Bennett@Snoco.org
(425)740-4309

Original email:
"We’ve been advised if we want to see the Index-Galena Road repaired and reopened that we need to tell the government that. We’ve been quietly waiting for the promised 2015 date to arrive. Apparently since we haven’t been really vocal they think we don’t care. This is the access to the Wild Sky and is very important to getting people into the USFS. It’s also blocked off access to several camping/hiking areas that are very big draws for people visiting the Sky Valley."

Thanks,
Tammy

Found this regarding the timeline:

"Mid 2015 to early 2016
Finalize design. Advertise for construction contrac- tor after final regulatory permits and funding have been approved"

Also found this and I'm guessing they will do this repair after the washout is complete.

http://wa-snohomishcounty.civicplus.com/2599/Index-Galena-Rd-Br-496---Index

Could be another few years before we can drive straight to Drumbeater again. I emailed and left a voice mail asking for a contact and will post that info here when I get it. Make some noise!!

I agree - we all need to get VOCAL! We should also get WRRR involved and local fishing groups (anyone have an in?)

So I got a call back from Road Maintenance Supervisor for Snohomish County. He said the project to restore the road is starting 2016. They still need to finalize permitting this year with involved agencies. Overall it's good news...

I have property past the washout so have been watching this for 9years now. Just recently the county told me it will be several more years. I wrote to all the listed folks as well as Murray, Cantwell,etc. Only one response so far with party line excuses. I really think they are waiting for another washout and then call off the repair entirely.

I've gotten a couple more rote replies.  The road suffered another washout at MP 2.5 that's being repaired.   Also damage above MP 10.  Without more pressure the road may never reopen as it's becoming an expense for the county.    Has anyone else communicated with SnoCo and gotten a response?


Edited by Mhmiller - 08 Jan 2016 at 8:54am

I've also spoken with the lead engineer who just said it would be several more years.  As my cabin is at MP 8 I walk it frequently.  It is hard to see any survey progress and in fact it appears that much original survey marking has gotten destroyed.  I would not doubt that with this winter's changes to the riverbed they delay even longer.  They opted not to  take the new road on to bedrock but instead on to stable alluvial areas which may prove to be unstable after all.  Don't hold your breath.

Just an interesting sight that I saw yesterday, I went up to end of index galena road at the washout yesterday and noticed that the river bed was completely dry... I was able to hike in the riverbed to the other side of the "washout." It will be interesting to see as the river levels increase if it chooses a different path or stay the course that its been doing the past 10 years. The power of floods.....Man, I miss that road!