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244th Avenue NE Slide Repair Project
Construction scheduled for summer 2024
Looking north: King County Road Services temporarily placed a barrier next to the damaged section of wall and narrowed the travel lanes in February 2020. Photo taken in February 2024.
Status update
May 2024
Construction will start in mid or late July 2024 and last through August.
The project will require a full six (6)-week-long road closure on 244th Ave. NE between State Route 202 (Redmond-Fall City Road NE) and NE 30th Pl. Both lanes need to be closed to accommodate a deep construction pit and large equipment needed to build the new retainment wall. All traffic will follow a posted detour.
Overview
This project replaces a damaged 90-foot-long retainment wall located below the north side of 244th Avenue NE near Redmond Fall City Road (State Route 202). The existing support wall suffered slide damage in winter 2020 and can no longer reliably support the edge of the roadway.
In February 2020, King County Road Services temporarily placed a barrier next to the damaged section of wall and moved both travel lanes over. The barrier and lane shift were put in place as a safety precaution to help prevent the road from damage and to stop the wall from shifting further.
The County will close a section of 244th Avenue NE for approximately six (6) weeks to complete the repair. Crews will dig a nine (9)-foot-deep pit across both lanes of traffic to remove and replace the damaged 90-foot-long retainment wall, then replace the soil under the roadway with more stable soil.
The County will fill the pit with dense, compact soil and repave the road at the end of the project. This, along with the new retaining wall will help prevent the road from sliding again.
The roadway will return to the full width in late summer 2024.
Location map
The project is located on the west side (southbound) of 244th Avenue NE, adjacent to the city of Sammamish.
Larger view (277KB)
Project detour
Road Services must close a portion of 244th Avenue NE for approximately six (6) weeks starting in mid to late July.
View larger (316KB)
The eight-and-a-half-mile-long detour may add up to 15 minutes to your trip. Travelers should check traffic apps and add plenty of extra travel time through the area when this project is under construction.
Existing conditions
Looking south: This is the view heading southbound on 244th Avenue NE. The damaged gabion wall is located below the shoulder, to the right of the guardrail.
Road maintenance crews continuously monitor the road for damage and to make sure the support wall has not shifted further. For example, crews repaired a large, cracked section of 244th Avenue NE on January 19, 2022. The damaged asphalt was caused by significant ice followed by rain during the recent winter storm.
What to expect during construction
- Large trucks and equipment will be onsite starting in mid or late July thru late August 2024.
- Both directions of 244th Avenue NE between NE 30th Place and State Route 202 will be fully closed to all traffic, including trucks, vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians for up to six (6) weeks.
- Traffic will follow a posted detour when the road is closed.
How can neighbors, drivers and community members stay informed about the project?
King County Road Services is working closely with the City of Sammamish to keep the community up to date. We will do the following before and during construction:
- Update the project website regularly.
- Provide updates on X/Twitter (@KCroads) and on MyCommute (kingcounty.gov/MyCommute).
- Post signs alerting drivers to upcoming or current road restrictions with dates and detour route.
- Send email notices (sign up for Road Alert email notifications).
- Send a postcard to people living near the work area with complete construction timeline and closure details.
- Speak with community groups upon request; please contact abresslour@kingcounty.gov to schedule a meeting.
Frequently asked questions
The slide repair work requires crews to dig a nine (9)-foot-deep pit across both lanes of traffic to remove and replace the badly damaged 90-foot-long retainment wall and replace the soil under the roadway with more stable soil that won’t slide in the future.
Initially, we believed we could replace the retaining wall without digging up the road. But recent analysis by County engineers show that the heavy construction equipment needed to repair the wall could make the road slide more. This is because the soil under the road isn't packed tightly enough, and the hillside isn't stable enough to handle the extra pressure and weight of the construction equipment.
The County will fill the pit with dense, compact soil and repave the road at the end of the project. This, along with the new retaining wall will help prevent the road from sliding again.