Chaos erupted on State Route 18 in Auburn on Saturday as a collision involving multiple motorcycles and vehicles led to the shutdown of all eastbound lanes. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reported that traffic was snarled for hours, with congestion stretching for nearly 2 miles.
The pileup, reported by The Seattle Times, occurred around noon just west of Highway 167 when a car slowed down and was subsequently rear-ended, spawning a chain reaction that the following motorcycles could not evade. "Multiple" motorcycles and three cars were involved in the incident, said Trooper Rick Johnson in a phone interview obtained by the publication.
According to a statement by WSDOT, two people were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center for treatment, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle. Three individuals received on-scene medical assistance amidst the wreckage.
Motorists were directed to the Weyerhaeuser Way off-ramp in Federal Way as a detour while the cleanup was underway. WSDOT later confirmed that the road was reopened just before 4:30 p.m., relieving the miles-long traffic backups, according to information from KING 5. They cautioned drivers to allow time for the congestion to clear as the flow of vehicles gradually resumed its normal pace.
The accident is a stark reminder of the unpredictability that haunts our roadways, lending urgency to the calls for safety and awareness amongst drivers and motorcyclists alike. The events leading up to this collision will likely be the subject of an ongoing investigation by the authorities to determine the precise cause and to avert similar calamities in the future.
