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Heat causes road near Renton to buckle

RENTON, Wash. — The heat was so bad it buckled a street in Renton Sunday.

It happened just west of where SE 128th Street and 168th Avenue SE intersect.  Both westbound lanes on 128th rose and ripped apart along a seam early in the evening.

A King County spokeswoman says it likely happened because of temperatures reaching around 90 degrees.  The cracked and crumbled street caught Jason Gill off guard.  Gill saw the street for the first time as he made a quick run to the store at around 9 o’clock in the evening.

“It’s been that hot out here before, and this has never happened,” Gill said.  “So I’m kind of wondering what’s different about it.  I know last year we had some comparable heat.”

Gill said the buckled stretch of 128th is probably the busiest road in his part of town.  He thinks cones temporarily cutting the eastbound lane into a two way street, will prove problematic during the work week.

“I’m hoping it doesn't take them too long to fix it,” Gill said.  “It doesn't look too serious, but not being a road technician, I don’t know for sure.”