Ongoing challenge with illegal street racing in Auburn causes road closures

AUBURN, Wash. - Auburn Police announced some streets will close over the weekend to address the public safety concerns of ongoing illegal street racing.

A portion of 15th St. SW between W Valley HWY and Outlet Collection Way will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Friday, January 15 to Sunday, January 17.

In the Facebook post, Auburn Police said street racing is an ongoing challenge for the community as a safety concern, regularly disrupting traffic. 

"An effective tool in combating this issue includes eliminating the spaces used for this dangerous and illegal activity. We appreciate your understanding and patience while we work to find ways to address this public safety concern," Auburn Police said.

Auburn PD--along with multiple agencies including Washington State Patrol--was part of an illegal street racing crackdown in September 2020. In Renton, police responded to a shooting a street racing where one person died and two others were injured. 

In December 2020, three people were injured--two suffered critical injuries--at a car meet in Auburn. Of which, one woman suffered a serious brain injury after being struck by a vehicle showing off in front of a large crowd.