Eastbound SR 18 to be closed for repairs this weekend
Published 11:36 am Thursday, December 31, 2015
For the Reporter
Drivers should plan ahead for a full closure of eastbound State Route 18 in Auburn, beginning Friday night, Jan. 8, to the morning of Monday, Jan. 11.
During the closure contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace a portion of the roadway near the Green River (Neeley) Bridge that was severely damaged by heavy rainfall on Dec. 8.
“We’ll need drivers to help keep traffic moving while we complete this critical safety work,” said WSDOT Engineer Mike Swires. “We will see slowdowns on eastbound SR 18 in Auburn as well as on interstates 5 and I-405 as drivers bypass the closure area.”
About the work
To repair the damaged roadway, contractor crews must close both eastbound lanes of traffic at Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road. The closure will give contractors the space they need to safely remove 500 feet of cracked pavement. Crews will then rebuild the roadway’s foundation, lay down new asphalt and restripe this section of the roadway.
Before roadway work could begin, contractor crews needed to stabilize the hillside. They spent the past two weeks installing more than a dozen drains in preparation for pavement repair work.
“We would like to thank drivers for their patience, as fixing this stretch of SR 18 hasn’t been easy,” said WSDOT Engineer Mike Askarian. “We’re working hard to get both lanes of traffic moving again once we complete our full weekend of work.”
Weekend closure details
All lanes of eastbound SR 18 will be closed just east of the Green River Bridge beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, until 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11. This work is weather dependent. Overhead messaging signs will alert drivers to the closure.
Background
Heavy rainstorms in December saturated the slope beneath the highway causing the roadway to shift, which led cracks, up to three inches wide, to form in the roadway. To keep drivers safe, WSDOT maintenance crews quickly closed the lane to traffic until repairs could be completed.
The repairs are estimated to cost $500,000. WSDOT is seeking emergency relief funds from the Federal Highway Administration to cover the cost of the needed repairs.
