 Shared with permission from Washington State Department of Transportation.
Eastbound and westbound State Route 18 will close for eight days around the clock at the Interstate 90 interchange beginning Thursday night, July 17, near Snoqualmie.
From 9 p.m. Thursday, July 17, through 5 a.m. Friday, July 25, traffic will not be allowed along either direction of SR 18 beneath the I-90 bridges. People traveling through the I-90/SR 18 interchange during the closure should expect delays, especially during peak travel times, and follow signed detours.
During the eight-day closure, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will build the northern end of a new diverging diamond interchange, which is the centerpiece of the I-90/SR 18 Interchange Improvements project. When SR 18 reopens early Friday, July 25, drivers will use the final diverging diamond traffic pattern.
During the closure, WSDOT maintenance crews also will repair the surface of a nearby westbound I-90 bridge during three nights of lane reductions beginning Monday, July 21.
What to expect Eastbound and westbound I-90 traffic will not be affected during most of the eight-day closure, but people traveling through the area should be aware that:
- Vehicles will not be permitted on either direction of SR 18 beneath the I-90 bridges.
- Traffic on the eastbound and westbound I-90 off-ramps will only be able to turn right.
- Eastbound SR 18 traffic must use the eastbound I-90 on-ramp and follow a detour.
- Southbound traffic on Snoqualmie Parkway must use the westbound I-90 on-ramp and follow a detour.
All four ramps also need to be restriped for the diverging diamond traffic pattern during the first night of the eight-day closure. People traveling through the area between 10 p.m. Thursday, July 17, and 5 a.m. Friday, July 18, should expect a series of rolling slowdowns along eastbound and westbound I-90 and 10-minute traffic holds on eastbound SR 18 and southbound Snoqualmie Parkway approaching the interchange. Crews will update the striping on each ramp, one at a time.
Some of the work during the closure needs dry weather and may need to be rescheduled if it rains.
Detour options People can detour around the SR 18 closure using eastbound and westbound I-90 and loop around at nearby interchanges – Preston/Fall City (exit 22) or High Point Way (exit 20) to the west and Southeast North Bend Way (exit 27) to the east. There will be no direct access from westbound I-90 to westbound SR 18 during the closure, and all traffic exiting westbound I-90 at SR 18 must head north on Snoqualmie Parkway.
Westbound I-90 freight traffic should continue past SR 18 and use the Preston/Fall City exit to loop back and take the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to westbound SR 18 or continue on westbound I-90 to southbound I-405. Freight traffic should not use city streets in Snoqualmie or Issaquah, which are not suitable for semi-trucks. Similarly, eastbound SR 18 freight traffic cannot use Issaquah-Hobart Road or Issaquah city streets to access I-90.
Before the closure To help prepare for the switch to the diverging diamond pattern, crews need to install a permanent barrier along two ramps. Travelers should expect ramp closures on the nights leading up to the extended closure:
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SR 18 on-ramp to eastbound I-90: Closes from 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, until 5 a.m. Wednesday, July 16. People should detour using westbound I-90 and loop around to eastbound I-90 at Preston/Fall City (exit 22).
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Westbound I-90 off-ramp to SR 18: Closes from 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, to 5 a.m. Thursday, July 17. People should continue on westbound I-90, loop around at Preston/Fall City (exit 22) and use the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to SR 18.
After the closure Though traffic will be in the final diverging diamond traffic pattern after the eight-day closure, crews still will need to add a final layer of asphalt and permanent lane striping later this summer. WSDOT will announce details about that work when plans are finalized.
In addition to building the new interchange, the project is widening more than 2 miles of SR 18 south of I-90 to two lanes in each direction, building three bridges and removing six barriers to fish passage. SR 18 widening is expected to finish later this fall.
Westbound I-90 lane reductions From 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly Monday, July 21, through Thursday morning, July 24, the left two lanes of westbound I-90 will close near Southeast North Bend Way (exit 27). WSDOT maintenance crews will repair a bridge surface during the lane reduction. The two right lanes of westbound I-90 and a third lane from the Southeast North Bend Way on-ramp will remain open during the work.
Real-time travel information is available via the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT's email updates.
Hyperlinks within the release:
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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at wsdot.com/traffic.
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