UPDATE | OCTOBER 12th, 10AM
SR 18 reopened between over Tiger Mountain – between I-90 and Issaquah Hobart Road.
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ORIGINAL STORY
Crews from Eastside Fire & Rescue, Bellevue and Snoqualmie Fire Departments responded to a two-vehicle, two-fatality collision on SR 18 near the Tiger Mountain summit (milepost 24) early Friday morning, October 12, 2018.
The accident occurred around 5AM and involved a truck and a passenger vehicle. According WSP, the truck was traveling westbound on SR 18 and crossed the center lane, striking the car. Two people in the vehicle died. The driver of the truck was transported to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.
WSP Trooper Rick Johnson said the driver of the truck was arrested for investigation of two counts of vehicular homicide.
SR 18 was closed in both directions between Issaquah Hobart Road and I-90 – and WAS expected to be closed for several hours as Washington State Patrol detectives conduct their accident investigation.
As of 6:30AM, there was a 3-mile back up on westbound SR 18 approaching Tiger Mountain.
This was the second accident in the SR 18/I-90 area in approximately 14 hours. At 3:30PM on October 11th there was a 4-car accident at the eastbound I-90 exit to SR 18. There were no injuries in that accident.
Drivers were advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes like Issaquah Hobart Road or SR 900.
WSDOT is expected to begin the $150 million, 90/18 interchange improvement project in approximately two years, with completion expected in 2023. The project budget includes widening SR 18, but only between I-90 and the Raging River. 5th District Senator Mark Mullet said his top priority in the next legislative session is to push for funding to widen SR 18 all the way to Hobart Road.
