Road To Paradise Reopens

The park reopened its primary road last Saturday following a six month closure due to flood damage sustained last November, when 18 inches of rain fell in 36 hours and seriously damaged roads and other infrastructure. Congressmen Norm Dicks and Dave Reichert attended the opening ceremony along with a number of invited partners, including representatives from the Student Conservation Association, National Parks Conservation Association, park concessions, and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). By the time the gate opened at 9:30 a.m., there more than 100 cars waiting to enter the park. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office provided assistance in managing the event. Road repairs were completed by the park road crew with design assistance and oversight by FHWA. There’s still significant work ahead to complete flood repairs to other park roads and trails, but the reopening of the Nisqually Road was a major milestone on the path to recovery.