With highway access limited, will Washingtonians still find their way to Christmas town?80%
By Joshua McNichols0%
12/18/2025, 6:53:00 PM
Topics: Economy
BS Summary: This article contains 11 faulty reasoning types, including Anchoring Bias, Negativity Bias, and Pessimism Bias, with Optimism Bias as the most egregious example at 26.1% saturation with 93 hits. Analysis detected 357 faulty-reasoning hits from 356 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 72.9% and a BS Rank of 80% (3,363 of 16,813 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 80.00% of the article peer group.
Damage from the floods has limited highway access to Leavenworth, a Bavarian-themed town draped in extravagant holiday lighting.
So many people come here for their holiday shopping that some call it "Christmas Town."
But with highway access compromised by the floods, businesses will have to adapt.
Before the floods, loads of people had signed up to visit the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm.
Many days had sold out, and scalpers were hawking tickets for inflated prices online.
"We typically see about 120,000 visitors a year on the farm," said Erika Bowie, the owner.
But since the governor announced Highway 2 would be closed — possibly for months — things have changed.
"Right now we are seeing hundreds of cancellations come in every day," Bowie said.
Many drivers from Seattle take I-90 up and Highway 2 down, or take that route in reverse.
But with Highway 2 closed, the visitors will all be pushed to I-90.
That road is generally considered far more reliable, but it has also sustained some flooding damage.
It's currently undergoing spot repairs near North Bend (two lanes closed, east bound) and Cle Elum (full closure of west-bound lanes, traffic is rerouted to the on and off ramps).
These areas could see congestion.
Kevin Rieke owns the Wood Shop, a little toy store right off Leavenworth's main square.
He said it's not unusual for Leavenworth to see Highway 2 traffic cut off due to a road closure.
But with the holiday season in full swing, he said the timing couldn't be worse.
Rieke said the Chamber of Commerce has been pivoting quickly.
"We're gonna be marketing even more to the eastern side of the state, to the Spokane area," he said.
It makes it a little easier for folks to get here.
He said they'll be suggesting longer hotel stays for those who do make the trip.
Rieke said he's crossing his fingers that the worst is over.
"We're back up and open in Christmas town, the beautiful snow globe that we live in," he said.
We will be here with our lights on ready for folks… as long as the power doesn't go out.
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