Mudslide on Interstate 90 near Issaquah blocks all westbound lanes for several hours

All lanes of westbound Interstate 90 in Issaquah were blocked for several hours Thursday after a mudslide trapped 13 cars on the freeway.

The mudslide happened at about 4:40 a.m., when as much as a foot of mud and debris rushed onto the roadway near milepost 19 east of Issaquah, said Washington State Patrol trooper and spokesman Rick Johnson. He said the cause of the slide was likely due to heavy rain.

Johnson said traffic was backed up about a quarter of a mile as Washington state Department of Transportation crews worked to clear the roadway.

There were no injuries.

All of the vehicles that were stuck were towed away, Johnson said.

One lane was briefly opened at about 7:30 a.m. to alleviate traffic congestion, but was closed so WSDOT could clear more debris, Johnson said.

Eastbound lanes were not affected.

Some traffic was diverted onto state Highway 202, causing higher-than-normal traffic.

“It’s going to be very heavily traveled this morning,” Johnson said. “It’s going to take people a little longer to commute.”