The westbound Interstate 90 off-ramp to State Route 18/Snoqualmie Parkway will close from 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, to 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31, to rechannel the ramp near the city of Snoqualmie. People should follow a signed detour, continuing westbound on I-90 to Fall City/Preston (exit 22) and looping back to the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to SR 18/Snoqualmie Parkway.
During the closure, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will set barriers and restripe the off-ramp to create a safe work zone for crews to install a culvert that will run beneath the new off-ramp. The work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled.
Rechanneling the ramp
When the ramp reopens Friday morning, a portion will be reduced so only a single lane of traffic can pass through. This means there will be less space for vehicles to wait for the traffic signal at the bottom of the ramp.
This change likely will increase the delays westbound I-90 travelers already see at the off-ramp during peak travel times. It will remain in place until the new diverging diamond interchange opens later this year. People should consider using alternate routes. Semi-truck drivers are reminded not to use Issaquah city streets and Issaquah-Hobart Road, which are unacceptable freight routes.
This work is part of the I-90/SR 18 Interchange Improvements project, which also is widening more than two miles of SR 18 to two lanes in each direction south of I-90.
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.
[Information provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT]
Comments
so the west bound exit is going from 2 lanes to 1 lane. an exit that already often backs up dangerously for at least a mile. this sounds like a recipe for accidents–bad ones–and horrible backups. take alternative routes? what are those?