News from King County Department of Transportation
Release date:  Jan. 11, 2006

Road crews fight to make repairs before the next storm

Numerous road closures continue to pose travel challenges

King County crews redoubled their efforts today to speed repairs to damaged roads and respond to numerous weather-related problems throughout the county. The goal is to make as much progress as possible before the next storm strikes, currently forecast to move in Thursday.

Mudslides are proving difficult and dangerous

The largest and most complex road damage has occurred along a portion of Issaquah-Hobart Road between 255th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 164th Street near Tiger Mountain. The road was closed Tuesday afternoon following severe undermining of the roadbed due to high flows on Issaquah Creek. Since that time, crews have taken steps to speed repairs as much as possible ahead of the next storm making its way toward Puget Sound.

Since last evening, crews have been working to shore up the roadbed and construct a 14-foot deep rock wall to protect the road from further erosion from Issaquah Creek. That work has involved the excavation of an estimated 40 truckloads of unusable material. That material is being replaced with large boulders, which will support the new roadbed. While the road is tentatively scheduled to open Jan. 19, crews will continue to make every effort to open it earlier, weather permitting.  During the closure, motorists should use Tiger Mountain Road as a detour route. Trucks should follow established detour routes posted for truck traffic.

Another slide that has now become a major concern occurred Tuesday on Dorre Don Way Southeast near Maple Valley, which serves as the only access for residents living in a small nearby neighborhood. After all-night attempts to clear the road, more sliding occurred early this morning, severely damaging a front loader on the scene. Fortunately, the operator of the front loader was not injured. Currently, road crews are waiting for power to be restored to residents before resuming clean up. Neighborhood access is expected to continue to be severely limited until slide removal and bank stabilization can be completed.

Given the wet soil conditions, there’s an increased likelihood the region will see more landslide activity until the ground dries out.

Several roads remain closed due to river flooding

Meanwhile, several roads continue to be impacted by flooding along the Snoqualmie River. The river began to overflow its banks Tuesday morning prompting activation of the King County Flood Warning Center. Road crews will continue to monitor conditions in flood-prone areas and close additional roads, as necessary. Motorists are reminded to never drive around barricades or through standing water.

Near record rain taking its toll on residents

Since yesterday’s storm sent hills sliding and rivers overflowing, nearly 300 calls have been logged by King County road maintenance customer service staff. An estimated 100 calls involved complaints about problems such as clogged storm drains and water over roadways. The increasingly saturated ground has also led to a spike in requests for sandbags. The Road Services Division is advising homeowners concerned about the impacts of more heavy rain to consider getting sandbags now rather than waiting until the next storm arrives. While the county has some sandbags available to share with the public, these supplies are very limited. Residents who typically use sandbags to protect their property during periods of prolonged rain should consider having their own supply on hand.

Residents can monitor the status of road closures in unincorporated King County by logging on to King County Alert at  or by visiting www.RPIN.org, the region’s multijurisdictional web site. Residents can also report problems by calling (206) 296-8100 or 1-800 KC ROADS.