Staffing Shortage Could Affect Washington Highways

(Olympia, WA) -- The Washington Department of Transportation is warning that staffing shortages could affect their ability to deal with winter storms. They lost nearly six-percent of their staff due to the vaccine mandate. They've also had retirements, pandemic-related hiring freezes, and furloughs. It could mean some highways might be closed longer until they can be cleared. Some roads might be plowed less often. And, there might be less attention paid to secondary routes.