Beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 9, traffic will not be allowed in either direction of SR 18 beneath the I-90 bridges near Snoqualmie until 5 a.m. Monday, July 13. All right-turn on- and off-ramps will remain open at the I-90/SR 18 interchange during this full closure.
What to expect July 9-13
Eastbound and westbound I-90 traffic will not be affected during most of the closure, but people traveling through the area should be aware that:
- Vehicles will not be permitted in 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.
- All eastbound SR 18 traffic must use the eastbound I-90 on-ramp. Travelers needing to go westbound on I-90 or to Snoqualmie Parkway should follow the detour to Exit 27, North Bend/Snoqualmie and loop back to westbound I-90.
- Southbound traffic on Snoqualmie Parkway must use the westbound I-90 on-ramp. Travelers needing to go eastbound on I-90 or westbound on SR 18 should follow the detour to Exit 20, Southeast High Point Way and loop back to eastbound I-90.
During this closure, construction crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will complete final paving for the Diverging Diamond Interchange under I-90. Crews will also remove the temporary barrier, install permanent impact attenuators, install guardrail, paint temporary striping, install electrical loops, place curbing and adjust stormwater drainage. This closure requires dry weather and may be rescheduled with short notice if rain is forecast.
Detour routes
People can detour around the closure using eastbound and westbound I-90 and loop around at nearby interchanges – Southeast High Point Way (exit 20) to the west and Southeast North Bend Way/Winery Road (exit 27) to the east.
To help keep traffic moving, the Preston/Fall City exit on westbound I-90 should be used primarily by local traffic. Travelers can potentially save time by using the signed detour at Southeast High Point Way or by taking alternate routes.
Freight traffic should not use Issaquah city streets or Issaquah-Hobart Road, which are not suitable for semi-trucks. Similarly, eastbound SR 18 freight traffic cannot use Issaquah city streets to access I-90.
Once all final paving is complete, a series of smaller SR 18 closures will be scheduled to install permanent lane markings throughout the project area.
[Information provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)]
