Mudslide closes some I-90 lanes in Issaquah

The left lane of westbound Interstate 90 has opened up after a mudslide closed all westbound lanes of I-90 just east of Exit 18 early Thursday morning.

The other lanes of the freeway are currently closed from High Point to just east of the Sunset Way exit.

The mudslide caused no injuries or property damage, according to Washington State Trooper Rick Johnson. Thirteen vehicles were stuck in the mud, but they have since been freed.

“Part of the mudslide was a foot deep, maybe more in some areas,” Johnson described.

The Washington State Department of Transportation and the Washington State Patrol are on the scene and are rerouting westbound traffic east of the mudslide to State Route 202.

The city of Issaquah encourages residents to use alternate routes and to keep an eye on WSDOT and city of Issaquah traffic cameras.

Johnson explained that the hillside, which has not had any problems in the past, had been loosened by a retention pond overflowing.

“We’ve just had a lot of rain this year,” he said.