CHOKEPOINTS

What highways, state routes are closed due to the bomb cyclone?

Nov 20, 2024, 6:04 AM | Updated: 1:20 pm

state routes highways...

SR 18, currently closed, near the Tiger Mountain summit. (Photo courtesy of WSDOT)

(Photo courtesy of WSDOT)

A plethora of roads, highways and streets have been blocked and littered with debris following last night’s bomb cyclone that swept across the Pacific Northwest.

Transportation and maintenance crews are currently working to clear roads and make any necessary repairs. As of 10 a.m. Nov. 20, here are the current conditions of major thoroughfares affected by the storm.

More on the PNW’s bomb cyclone: ‘Multiple day outage’ expected as hundreds of thousands have lost power in Western Washington

State Route 9

State Route 9 (SR 9) between Sedro-Woolley and Wickersham (milepost 60 to milepost 66) is closed due to downed trees and powerlines.

“There is no estimate when NB & SB traffic will reopen,” the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) stated. “Please seek alternate routes and add time to your travel plans.”

There is no current ETA for reopening SR 9, as of this reporting.

More on the storm: At least 1 killed as falling trees cause multiple issues in Western Washington

State Route 20

State Route 20 (SR 20) is blocked entirely due to debris at Ensley Road (milepost 77) in Hamilton.

“Crews are busy trying to clean up from the storm & make repairs,” WSDOT said. “Please delay travels, if possible.”

State Route 164

State Route 164 (SR 164) is closed in both directions (east and west) near Southeast 368th Place (milepost 5) early Wednesday after fallen trees and downed power lines southeast of Auburn were spotted and identified by WSDOT repair crews. There is no ETA to reopen the road, as of this reporting.

State Route 169

State Route 169 (SR 169) and Renton-Maple Valley Road are closed at SE Jones Road (milepost 19). There are closures on SR 169 at 216th Ave SE in Maple Valley, at Summit Drive in Black Diamond and at 400th Street, near Enumclaw.

SR 169 is fully closed between Jones St & SR 18 as crews work to remove tree debris that fell on power lines. (Photo courtesy of WSDOT)

State Route 18

State Route 18 (SR 18) was initially shut down by WSDOT on Nov. 19 at approximately 8 p.m., but reopened at approximately 11 a.m. The state route was closed in both directions between I-90 and Issaquah-Hobart Road near the Tiger Mountain summit for hours due to multiple downed trees on the highway.

Cliff Mass: Atmospheric bomb revved up very rapidly,’ hit Washington

Interstate 405

Traffic heading north on Interstate 405 (I-405) was shut down after a downed tree blocked four lanes of the highway Tuesday night just south of Interstate 90 (I-90t. Crews removed the tree and reopened the highway at approximately 12 a.m.

Contributing: KIRO 7

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

Chokepoints

Seattle's department transportation...

Frank Sumrall

Head of Seattle’s Department of Transportation to depart after 2 1/2 years

Seattle's director of the Department of Transportation has announced he will be stepping down from his post, effective Feb. 12, 2025.

1 day ago

gas tax winter driving...

Chris Sullivan

Road Usage Charges and winter driving: What WA drivers should be prepared for

As cars continue to get better gas mileage and a larger number of EVs enter service, the state gas tax just doesn't go as far as it used to.

1 day ago

vehicle fire I-5...

Frank Sumrall

Vehicle fire shuts down multiple lanes on I-5 in Everett

A vehicle fire broke out on southward Interstate 5 (I-5), just south of State Route 529 (SR 529) near milepost 197 in Everett.

6 days ago

pay-by-mile...

Chris Sullivan

Will 2025 be the year of pay-by-mile?

The state has been testing and researching a pay-by-mile system to fund road maintenance and preservation for years.

6 days ago

sr 520 montlake project...

Chris Sullivan

WSDOT begins work to finish SR 520 Montlake Project

Just as the SR 520 Montlake Project is about to wrap up, work is already underway on the final piece of the plan, getting across Portage Bay to I-5.

8 days ago

sr 99 sea-tac des moines...

Nate Connors

SR 99 traffic snarls expected between Sea-Tac/Des Moines through Summer 2025

On Dec. 2, WSDOT begins a six-month rehabilitation project to improve a section of SR 99 through the Sea-Tac airport and Des Moines.

9 days ago

What highways, state routes are closed due to the bomb cyclone?