SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — State Route 18 is back open after being closed Friday morning between Snoqualmie and Maple Valley as transportation crews made emergency repairs to the roadway.
More than 7 miles of roadway were closed from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Interstate 90 and Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast.
An atmospheric river that brought heavy rainfall to the Puget Sound region last week further damaged the asphalt on the roadway and that damage needed to be fixed as quickly as possible, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
"We appreciate everyone's patience during this crucial closure and thank the crews for all their hard work!" WSDOT said.
Maintenance crews are equipped to patch potholes, which is a temporary fix but WSDOT said those crews aren't equipped to repave large sections of highway. Larger repaving work must be added to construction projects that are put out to bid.
WSDOT said the closure was planned for Friday instead of the weekend because that was when the asphalt was available.
The emergency work comes as several projects are planned to improve traffic flow and safety along the SR 18 corridor. WSDOT is building a diverging diamond interchange at I-90 to reduce back-ups during peak travel time. That project is underway, and construction is expected to be complete in 2025.
Beginning in 2025, WSDOT is also planning to widen a 5-mile section of SR 18 between Issaquah-Hobart Road and Deep Creek to lessen traffic congestion and reduce crashes. This project will involve repaving SR 18, WSDOT said.
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