Washington Revised Code Title 47. Public Highways and Transportation § 47.48.031. Emergency closures by state patrol

(1) Whenever the chief or another officer of the state patrol determines on the basis of a traffic investigation that an emergency exists or less than safe road conditions exist due to human-caused or natural disasters or extreme weather conditions upon any state highway, or any part thereof, state patrol officers may determine and declare closures and temporarily reroute traffic from any such affected highway.

(2) Any alteration of vehicular traffic on any state highway due to closure in emergency conditions is effective until such alteration has been approved or altered by the secretary of transportation or other department of transportation authorities in their local respective jurisdictions.

(3) All state highway closures by officers of the state patrol shall be immediately reported to the secretary of transportation and to other authorities in their local jurisdictions.