Washington

[Amaury]

Obviously can't say for sure right now, but if that is the case, it's possible they're removing the short right lane for westbound SR 18 between the westbound and eastbound I-90 ramps, thereby eliminating the current dual left turn lanes on the westbound I-90 off-ramp there.

[jakeroot]

Obviously can't say for sure right now, but if that is the case, it's possible they're removing the short right lane for westbound SR 18 between the westbound and eastbound I-90 ramps, thereby eliminating the current dual left turn lanes on the westbound I-90 off-ramp there.

My understanding was that Hwy 18 was to be four lanes over Tiger Mountain, all the way to I-90, with essentially two continuous lanes from westbound I-90 onto Hwy 18. This is similar to how it is now, just with an additional option lane exit from westbound I-90 (like the eastbound exit). Eastbound Hwy 18 I think will maintain the single slip lane to I-90 eastbound. In an ideal world, both exit lanes should be able to access westbound Hwy 18.

[Amaury]

Eastbound Interstate 82 closed between Exit 3 and Exit 26 due to a fully blocking semi rollover between mileposts 16 and 17: https://www.facebook.com/kimatv/posts/pfbid02qfW1tQVow61JkP1LcG6Appn6C2TBXQWTevFc6kSLeap56QfgDgyEpBjdsdXKaejVl

Semi truck overturned on Highway I-82 at mile marker 16/17 on the Eastbound carriageway. There do not appear to be any other vehicles involved and no reports yet of any injuries. The highway will be closed until the semi is cleared. Thank you to Charlie Brooks for the photo.

[kkt]

New speed cameras on I-5 southbound in Skagit County from Bow Hill Road to Cook Road

(This is approximately mile 236 to 232, where the posted speed limit is 70 mph.)

https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/apr/08/wsdot-will-install-speed-cameras-on-i-5-in-skagit/

By JULIA TELLMAN
Local News Reporter

Interstate drivers in Skagit County may receive a gentle reminder in the mail not to speed, as the state Department of Transportation rolls out a pilot camera program to reduce speed-related crashes.

On Thursday, April 10, highway speed cameras will go live on southbound I-5 between Bow Hill and Cook roads, where the speed limit is 70 miles per hour. The stretch of road was selected because it's a location where speeding has contributed to serious collisions in the past. Signs will be posted alerting drivers to the cameras' presence.

The cameras will track speeders' license plates and the owners of those vehicles will receive mailed courtesy notices informing them of their speed and of the potential cost of speeding tickets. They will not, however, be fined, and their driving records will not be impacted. The cameras are also being placed on Eastbound I-90 near Liberty Lake as part of the program, funded by $1 million from the state Legislature.

(article continues, for the rest see link)

[Bruce]

The Fairfax Bridge, carrying SR 165 over the Carbon River near Carbonado, is closed to all traffic due to advanced corrosion and immediate safety risks. No access to Mowich Lake or the Carbon River area of Mount Rainier National Park until further notice.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/rust-and-cracks-close-a-bridge-to-mount-rainier/

[Bruce]

The Fairfax Bridge is now permanently closed and a planning study is now underway. The preliminary options:

No-build, aka do not replace and do not restore access
A new replacement in the same general area
A new alignment for SR 165 in the area

The second option seems most likely, but given that the state doesn't have funding to replace a bridge it will be a long closure. For now, the southern section of SR 165 will not be accessible to anyone that doesn't have the keys to the locked logging roads.

[pderocco]

Since it's one of the entrances to Mount Rainier NP, I could imagine the NPS kicking in some money.

[Bruce]

Since it's one of the entrances to Mount Rainier NP, I could imagine the NPS kicking in some money.

Both of the entrances in this part of the park are unstaffed and relatively unimportant. The park road past the Carbon River Entrance has been impassible since the 2006 floods and there's been no real attempt made to fund a repair. I don't see the NPS (especially in this administration) saving the day, sadly.

[Amaury]

I've been wanting to check out the area on one of my drives. I guess now I'll never get to, at least not using this bridge.

[Bruce]

I've been wanting to check out the area on one of my drives. I guess now I'll never get to, at least not using this bridge.

There are no alternative routes, so the whole area is effectively closed. The only folks who can get through are those with access to logging roads that have locked gates.

[Amaury]

Yup, I read that part, too, unfortunately. Even when or if it's reopened, I still won't get to go over the bridge since the bridge itself is permanently closed.

In other news, Washington State Route 11 is closed and could be closed up to a week due to a rockslide: https://www.king5.com/video/news/local/giant-rockslide-could-keep-sr-11-closed-for-a-week/281-1dff375a-2d7d-4ea4-8225-7478e3885410

[ErmineNotyours]

I've been wanting to check out the area on one of my drives. I guess now I'll never get to, at least not using this bridge.

There are no alternative routes, so the whole area is effectively closed. The only folks who can get through are those with access to logging roads that have locked gates.

The Foothills Trail runs south from Carbonado (parallel to the highway), then under the bridge and on to Upper Fairfax and a low-elevation bridge where you can rejoin the road by bike or foot.  The trail under the bridge may be closed when they demolish it, but otherwise the area is not totally inaccessible.  I'm going to try to hike it again on Saturday.

[stevashe]

I've been wanting to check out the area on one of my drives. I guess now I'll never get to, at least not using this bridge.

There are no alternative routes, so the whole area is effectively closed. The only folks who can get through are those with access to logging roads that have locked gates.

The Foothills Trail runs south from Carbonado (parallel to the highway), then under the bridge and on to Upper Fairfax and a low-elevation bridge where you can rejoin the road by bike or foot.  The trail under the bridge may be closed when they demolish it, but otherwise the area is not totally inaccessible.  I'm going to try to hike it again on Saturday.

For that matter, you could also access the area by hiking through the national Park from Paradise or Sunrise, and I'm sure a number of Forest Service trailheads have a connection too. It's only really inaccessible by car!

For my part, I'm glad I was able to drive the bridge and all of SR 165 before it closed in August 2020. It was actually very busy at the Mowich Lake trailhead that day so that area may be more popular than it would seem at first, but that popularity may also have been due to the surge in outdoor recreation from COVID.

[Bruce]

The new state transportation budget has been passed by the House and Senate after a lot of reworking. Washington has financial issues, so even with a gas tax hike and more revenue siphoned from the general sales tax, there will still be some delays to various projects (mostly those that were not part of the 2015 package).

For instance, a $632 million outlay to widen perennially clogged Highway 18 has been shoved out from the mid-2020s until possibly the early 2030s, a new project list says.

The long-term rebuild and widening of I-90, from Keechelus Lake to Easton, will keep chugging along, but it's only two-thirds funded through 2031.

Washington state remains committed to a mammoth I-5 replacement bridge over the Columbia River, still years from groundbreaking, projected to cost roughly $6 billion, a burden shared by Oregon and the federal government. Liias said the 2025 Legislature made progress by authorizing I-5 construction bond sales to be repaid by bridge tolls. The new spending list shows construction funds from Washington state, though half of that appears to be post-2030.

A new Highway 2 trestle between Lake Stevens and Everett, thought to require $2 billion, is still unfunded. Liias said the Washington State Department of Transportation and the city of Everett will pursue spot improvements to decongest the Highway 2/I-5 junction.

[jakeroot]

With regards to the widening of 18, I'm curious what will be left after they finish the DDI project and the widening that is included with that. From what I could tell, it was supposed to be 4 lanes all the way from Tiger Mountain to I-90. I have to assume that means four lanes from I-5 eastbound all the way to I-90, but only a single lane westbound from Tiger Mountain down to (almost) Issaquah-Hobart Road.

Is this an accurate analysis?

[Bruce]

With regards to the widneing of 18, I'm curious what will be left after they finish the DDI project and the widening that is included with that. From what I could tell, it was supposed to be 4 lanes all the way from Tiger Mountain to I-90. I have to assume that means four lanes from I-5 eastbound all the way to I-90, but only a single lane westbound from Tiger Mountain down to (almost) Issaquah-Hobart Road.

The I-90 interchange project only expands SR 18 up to the Deep Creek bridge about 2 miles out. So there's still about 5 miles (including Tiger Mountain Summit) to widen.

[jakeroot]

With regards to the widneing of 18, I'm curious what will be left after they finish the DDI project and the widening that is included with that. From what I could tell, it was supposed to be 4 lanes all the way from Tiger Mountain to I-90. I have to assume that means four lanes from I-5 eastbound all the way to I-90, but only a single lane westbound from Tiger Mountain down to (almost) Issaquah-Hobart Road.

The I-90 interchange project only expands SR 18 up to the Deep Creek bridge about 2 miles out. So there's still about 5 miles (including Tiger Mountain Summit) to widen.

Got it, thank you. I guess that means two lanes from I-90 (westbound) all the way to Tiger Mountain. After all is said and done, the only two-lane sections will be downhill stretches. Seems like a decent compromise for the time being.

[stevashe]

With regards to the widneing of 18, I'm curious what will be left after they finish the DDI project and the widening that is included with that. From what I could tell, it was supposed to be 4 lanes all the way from Tiger Mountain to I-90. I have to assume that means four lanes from I-5 eastbound all the way to I-90, but only a single lane westbound from Tiger Mountain down to (almost) Issaquah-Hobart Road.

The I-90 interchange project only expands SR 18 up to the Deep Creek bridge about 2 miles out. So there's still about 5 miles (including Tiger Mountain Summit) to widen.

Got it, thank you. I guess that means two lanes from I-90 (westbound) all the way to Tiger Mountain. After all is said and done, the only two-lane sections will be downhill stretches. Seems like a decent compromise for the time being.

It'll be okay with the DDI project finished, though the widening plans over Tiger summit do include truck lanes (i.e. 3 lanes uphill, 2 lanes downhill) so we're still stuck with 1 Lane less in both directions.

[kkt]

Since it's one of the entrances to Mount Rainier NP, I could imagine the NPS kicking in some money.

The park service budget has been cut and cut.  I don't see them kicking in money for a bridge on a state route that's not even inside the park.  I'm hoping the state will find the money, if not this year then next year.

I've been to the Carbon River Road ages and ages ago, before the road was closed past the entrance.  And Mowich Lake around 2015 or so, for the hike up to the forest fire lookout.  The Lake itself was pretty busy but the trails once you get away from the lake were lovely and not crowded.  Very nice compared to the crowds in the Paradise and Sunrise areas.

Another way to the Mowich Lake and Carbon River areas would be to drive up the Westside Road from near the Nisqually Entrance until you reach the point where it's closed at Fish Creek, park and hike north on the closed road, take either of two trails east uphill to the Wonderland Trail, and follow the Wonderland Trail north to Mowich Lake or continue to the Carbon River.  Ask the rangers about trail conditions before you head out.

[Bruce]

Chuckanut Drive (SR 11) is closed near Oyster Dome until July to clean up a rockslide: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/chuckanut-drive-rockslide-repairs-could-last-until-july-official-says/

[Amaury]

So, this is interesting. For some reason, mileposts 218 and 219 on Interstate 90 are back-to-back, not even having a difference of half a mile between them: https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/



Eastbound milepost 218: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QSZvJ1NwMus1JsQq7
Eastbound milepost 219: https://maps.app.goo.gl/i9tQUhQJzjEdAsrK6

Westbound milepost 219: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GFP5LTxgGx8wfPzTA
Westbound milepost 218: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vsBRNdwVWvoohQNw7

And it's that way both on WSDOT's map and out on the field. I wonder why. No mileposts are skipped, so it then seems to throw everything else off, as it looks like milepost 219 should be where milepost 220 is. milepost 220 where milepost 221 is, and so on, ending with milepost 299 at the Idaho border instead of milepost 298. Although I could be wrong and milepost 219 just needs to be further east of milepost 218, and then there would be a mile between both mileposts 218 and 219 and mileposts 219 and 220, as the way it is now, there's actually more than a mile in distance between mileposts 219 and 220.