Skykomish Valley Fire Chief warns excessive traffic on U.S. 2 delays emergency response
As the weather warms up, more and more people flock outdoors
GOLD BAR, Wash. - Warmer weather sprouts the promise of traffic and parking congestion along portions of US Highway 2 through the Skykomish Valley of East Snohomish County.
The main highway snaking through the region’s small towns connects Puget Sound to Central and Eastern parts of Washington. Communities like Startup, Sultan and Gold Bar have long endured the stop-and-go vehicle traffic, which increasingly spills over into neighborhood side streets. These residents are basically prisoners in their own homes on the weekends from Sultan to Index, Snohomish County Councilman and Washington Transportation Safety Commissioner Sam Low told The Daily Herald.