Snoqualmie Casino launches new commuter shuttle for employees

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- Snoqualmie Casino has launched a new, free employee shuttle to provide a "safer ride" across the dangerous seven-mile stretch of SR-18 between Tiger Mountain and Issaquah-Hobart Road.

The shuttle comes after two Snoqualmie Casino employees, a mother and a daughter, were killed while on their morning commute in October. Since 2010, there have been 25 serious-injury or fatal traffic accidents on that stretch of highway, according to the casino.   

Four of those fatalities were Snoqualmie Casino employees.

Following the crash, Snoqualmie Casino and the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe offered the Washington State Department of Transportation $1 million to speed up the process of widening SR-18. The casino says last month, lawmakers allocated $26.9 million in additional funding for SR 18 improvements.

“While we are thankful that the state has put funding in the budget, we understand that highway improvements take time,” says Snoqualmie Casino President and CEO Brian Decorah.  “With over 40% of our workforce commuting over Tiger Mountain every day, the Snoqualmie Tribal Council put safety over profits by providing our work family with a safer and sturdier vehicle for their daily commute.”

The employee shuttle will run continuously, Monday through Saturday, 2 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.  The shuttle will travel between Covington and Snoqualmie Casino.