I-405 ALERT: Water on freeway causes big southbound backup north of Kennydale Hill

October 25, 2010 5:51 pm
Mike Demory and others on a City of Renton maintenance crew were out on a soggy windy Tuesday clearing the Burnett Linear Park of leaves.
Mike Demory and others on a City of Renton maintenance crew were out on a soggy windy Tuesday clearing the Burnett Linear Park of leaves.

Traffic is backed up about seven miles on southbound Interstate 405 mid-afternoon because of water over the freeway at Northeast 44th Street near Kennydale Hill, according to the Washington state Department of Transportation.

By 3:30 p.m., crews had drained most of the water from the freeway.

Drivers are encouraged to drive slowly and look for alternate routes, including Lake Washington Boulevard, if possible, and Coal Creek Parkway.

Transportation department maintenance crews are on scene and working to drain the water from the roadway.

Initially, the transportation department is hearing the drains are plugged with leaves, said spokesman Patrick Conrad.

The depth of the water wasn’t immediately determined. How long it would take to drain the freeway wasn’t immediately known.