Major route through East King County reopens after landslide cleared

REDMOND, Wash. – A landslide that shut down a major roadway connecting Redmond to Duval caused big problems for commuters for more than 24 hours.

Novelty Hill Road reopened to traffic one day after debris from a landslide forced it to close.

Images provided by King County Road Services showed the land sloping away from the side of the road had slid, bringing mud and debris with it threatening to undermine the roadway itself.

Road crews worked in the pouring rain to survey the area and assess the damage.

Temporary barriers and narrowed lanes are in place.

The landslide risk is likely to continue through this week. Most communities along Puget Sound are under an advisory for shallow landslide risks, according to DNR.

If you spot tilting trees, cracks forming in your yard, sagging utility lines or broken water pipes, new cracks in your driveway or sidewalk and sudden difficulty opening doors you’re urged to call your county officials.