The Darrington Ranger District is holding an open house from 3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 15 for public discussion of repair projects and access to the flood-damaged Suiattle River Road (Forest Service Road 26).

The road begins near Darrington and heads east along the north side of the Suiattle River for 23 miles to the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary. The road’s upper end has been closed since major storm damage in 2003, 2006 and 2007.

Road repairs were under way when a lawsuit was filed in federal court against the project in April. Work was halted until the court dismissed the lawsuit in July.

The Federal Highway Administration and the Forest Service will prepare an environmental assessment for release late this year with a 30-day public comment period. The agencies propose repairing the road’s flood damage from 2012 through 2014, and reopening access to national forest trailheads, wilderness, campgrounds, hunting, fishing, gathering and tribal lands.

For more information about the open house, contact Darrington Ranger District at 360-436-1155. Learn more about proposed Suiattle Road repairs at fs.usda.gov/goto/mbs/projects.

To attend the open house follow Highway 530 from I-5 for 30 miles east to the Darrington Ranger Station.

Herald staff