A landslide has closed SW 172nd Street near Sylvester Road SW – where the road turns and heads down into Burien’s Three Tree Point neighborhood – on Friday morning, Jan. 7, 2022.

Yellow marks on map indicate where road is closed due to the landslide.

Public Works crews and a geologist are on site.

From a quick look at a photo, it appears this slide took out part of a backyard and/or deck from a house located above.

The City of Burien has notified affected private property owners of the hazard.

Traffic is being diverted.

The city warns that a combination of snowmelt and heavy rain will increase landslide threats in our area, and advises residents to watch for signs of landslide activity:

    • Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time.
    • New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick, or foundation.
    • Outside walls, walks, or stairs begin pulling away from the building.
    • Slowly developing, widening cracks appear on the ground or on paved areas such as streets or driveways.
    • Underground utility lines break.
    • Bulging ground appears at the base of a slope.
    • Water breaks through the ground surface in new locations.
    • Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilt or move.

Visit kingcounty.gov/landslide to learn more about how to prepare for – and what to do during — landslides.

Photo courtesy City of Burien.

Founder/Publisher/Editor. Three-time National Emmy Award winning Writer (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”), Director, Producer, Journalist and more...