Slide hazard road in Fall City will not close unless conditions change
Feb 14, 2020, 4:06 PM
King County Road Services is warning of a slow moving landslide near Fall City. (King County Road Services via Twitter)
(King County Road Services via Twitter)
Due to a recent slide hazard, King County Road Services, engineers, and experts evaluated the road conditions, ground movement, and stability on 356th Drive Southeast near Fall City on Friday to determine slide risk.
Following the evaluation, Road Services announced that the road will not yet be fully shut down, but will remain limited to one lane of traffic unless conditions change.
Thank you, @KingCountyWA staff for helping us get news to folks living near the 356th Dr. slide area. The road is open, with a 5-ton 🚚 weight limit. https://t.co/zFWkdYAFUH #KingCountyReady pic.twitter.com/ajyngwpGrO
— KC Road Services (@kcroads) February 13, 2020
A slow-moving slide is taking place under the street that provides access to nearly 80 homes. On Monday, Road Services and the Office of Emergency Management issued a voluntary evacuation for residents who would be cut off if the road were to close.
Vehicles traveling on 356th Drive must weigh less than 5 tons. King County is continuing to monitor the slide risk and road conditions, warning residents that conditions could change at any time.
In the case of road closures, King County has an evacuation plan in place for the neighborhood. Construction of a new road, if needed, could be done in two days, according to a report from KIRO 7. Further testing will be conducted later this month, to find a way to stabilize the ground long-term. There is no set date for repair.
Around Washington state, communities are still dealing with the effects of flood damage. Earlier this month, residents in Issaquah had to be evacuated from their homes. Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation for 19 counties due to flooding and winter weather conditions on Feb. 5.
Current weather predictions show more rain this weekend, with relief in the form of a dry stretch coming mid-week.
Cliff Mass: Washington not likely to have drought problems this summer
For updates on the 356th Drive Southeast slide hazard, visit the King County Road Services website here.
