The eagle has landed: Bald eagle takes over highway lane, causing commute chaos
Apr 18, 2025, 9:32 AM | Updated: 10:24 am
A screenshot of the bald eagle stopping on SR 512 in Puyallup. (Photo courtesy of WSDOT)
(Photo courtesy of WSDOT)
This is a first for me—a bald eagle chokepoint.
During Friday morning’s commute, I noticed a sudden backup on State Route 512 (SR 512) in downtown Puyallup. While checking the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) cameras, I found a bald eagle just sitting in the right lane.
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The bald eagle didn’t look injured, I didn’t notice a baby nearby, and at least it was camping in the right lane and not the left.
It sat for several minutes, causing approximately a two-mile backup to South Hill. The bird did not seem concerned at all about the traffic heading by, and the slowdowns it was causing.
A Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper stopped behind it to ensure its protection. When the WSP trooper approached, the bald eagle took off.
Maybe it was a protest for eagle rights. Perhaps it had just eaten a big meal and couldn’t fly. The eagle was unfortunately unavailable for comment.
Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.
