Cedar River at Rainbow Bend Closed to Recreation on June 20

Information from the King County Sheriff's Office:

Due to construction activities on the Cedar River at Rainbow Bend, the King County’s Sheriff’s Office will close the river to public use and recreation onThursday, June 20, at the project site southeast of Renton. 

King County Sheriff John Urquhart ordered the river closure between River Mile 10.9 and 11.2 to protect residents from the hazards associated with tree removal to support a levee removal and floodplain channel construction project.  The project site involves a three-quarter-mile segment of the Cedar River, located near the intersection of Cedar Grove Road and the Maple Valley Highway (State Route 169).

King County construction crews will be proactively removing several large cottonwood trees located along the river bank to prevent future hazards to recreational users of the river. The closure is anticipated to last for one day during the tree removal activities.  The closure may be extended to nextMonday, June 24 if work is not completed on June 20.

The in-river work will limit recreational access in the river, including possible full closure when intensive construction is under way. Signs will be posted and the King County website will be updated to alert users as construction progresses.

The Rainbow Bend Levee Removal and Floodplain Reconnection Project is a high priority flood hazard management project funded by the King County Flood Control District to eliminate flood risks to more than 50 families and provide long term protection to a major regional transportation corridor.

For more information, visit the project website at www.kingcounty.gov/rivers,or contact Jon Hansen, King County environmental scientist, at 206-296-1966.