Westbound I-90 Delays Until Thursday Near Issaquah

ISSAQUAH, WA — Eastside commuters will encounter westbound delays on Interstate 90 until Thursday morning near Issaquah, then again next week, as contractors replace a large stretch of damaged pavement along the freeway.

The first of six major lane reductions for the $11.2 million project started Sunday evening, reducing westbound traffic to one lane starting about a mile west of the High Point interchange. The second round of lane closures is slated to begin Sunday evening, closing off all but the left lane until early next Friday.

Both closures will allow crews to completely replace concrete panels and asphalt over roughly a mile of the freeway. WSDOT said the stretch in question is situated near a coal mine that was sealed up before its construction. Water collecting in the mine made its way under the westbound lanes, which eventually caused the concrete panels to crack.

Officials estimate the stretch impacted by the work carries 29,000 vehicles each day, and funneling that traffic into a single lane will likely slow things down for commuters, especially at peak travel times. WSDOT recommends that drivers who are able consider carpooling, using transit, working remotely or avoiding westbound I-90 during the morning commute.

After the repaving portion of the work is complete, crews will need another two weeks to replace concrete near the I-90 bridge west of High Point Way. Repaving is also planned for a bridge near Preston. Specific timelines for that work will be shared at a later date.

>> Learn more on the WSDOT blog.