Update on Friday's road closure in LFP and head-on collision in Kenmore

SUV and tow truck in head on collision on Bothell Way in Kenmore
Photo from Kenmore Police

On Friday afternoon at 1:45pm, October 25, 2024 Kenmore Police Officers were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision in the 5700 block of NE Bothell Way in Kenmore. (see previous article)

A compact sedan traveling eastbound on Bothell Way crossed over two sets of double yellow lines before colliding head on with a flatbed style tow truck traveling westbound. 

The collision was violent enough that the steel bumper of the tow truck embedded into the firewall of the sedan. 

The sedan driver had to be extracted by Shoreline Fire. Shoreline Medics transported the driver to Harborview with life-threatening injuries.

 

For westbound traffic, only the bus lane was open for travel. All eastbound lanes were shut down.

Lake Forest Park Police Department assisted Kenmore PD with the closure and diverting of traffic. 

LFP Officers responded to the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way NE to reroute NB Ballinger. Per PD request the WSDOT Incident Response and Public Works assisted with cones and signage at the intersection. 

As expected, this caused traffic issues throughout the city.

Bothell Way northbound was closed at LFP Town Center
The red pointer indicates the accident vicinity

Additionally, with the assistance of a WSP trooper, Incident Response and LFP PW, they were able to collapse the EB Bothell Way lanes between NE 170th and Ballinger into the single turn lane for detour to NB Ballinger. 

Officers switched the traffic lights at Bothell and Ballinger to all way flashing red. Due to the density of traffic and time of day, officers decided to control the intersection for active traffic control.

Due to the extended closure, traffic on Bothell, Ballinger and intersecting side streets was severely impacted. 

18 wheelers were following their various GPS apps and using side streets to try to get to Kenmore and beyond. METRO re-routed their standard and articulated coaches through Horizon View back down to Bothell Way NE and 61st. 

Undoubtedly, there were vehicles driving recklessly and quickly on the side streets and NE 178th Street was very active. 

In one instance, a vehicle registered to an address in Kenmore drove recklessly past the traffic control officers before nearly colliding with an LFP PD officer and an illuminated reds and blues MARR (Major Accident Response & Reconstruction) vehicle at the Kenmore collision scene.

The collision scene was finally cleared by Kenmore and LFP PD reopened all of the traffic lanes at approximately 8:30pm.

KCSO Major Accident Response and Reconstruction Detectives are conducting the investigation.