Brace yourselves, Seattle drivers—the "monster" is coming. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced an ambitious slate of weekend closures set to sweep across the city's major thoroughfares from September 27 through September 30. This massive undertaking is cited as the region's largest set of construction closures this year, so plan your commutes accordingly.
Getting from A to B across Lake Washington via State Route (SR) 520 won't be an option, as the critical artery is shutting down in both directions between I-5 in Seattle and 92nd Avenue Northeast on the Eastside. This applies to all associated on- and off-ramps, and, for those thinking of pedaling or walking their way across, the SR 520 Trail will be off-limits too. The closures start at the stroke of 11 p.m. Friday and stretch until the early hours of Monday at 5 a.m. The reason? Crews will be working on lighting and the fire suppression system under the new Montlake lid, as part of the SR 520 Montlake Project.
If you're looking to travel northbound on Interstate 405, you'll have to think again. I-405 northbound in Renton will be a no-go zone, starting from Sunset Boulevard Northeast/Southport Drive to Coal Creek Parkway Southeast. From 11 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. On Monday multiple ramps will be closed, including the Sunset Boulevard Northeast, Northeast 30th Street, and Northeast 44th Street ramps, to name a few. Crews will be shifting traffic onto a new bridge as part of the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project.
Heading southbound on SR 167? You'll need to reroute. The closure covers the stretch from SR 516 to South 277th Street in Kent, slated from 11:59 p.m. Friday until the crisp pre-dawn of Monday at 4 a.m. Drivers will also find ramp closures at SR 516 and the southbound SR 167 off-ramp to South 277th Street for paving and striping work as part of the SR 167 Corridor Improvements Project.
The ubiquitous I-5 won't be spared the weekend mayhem either, with overnight closures between SR 18 in Federal Way and 54th Avenue East in Fife slated for Friday and Saturday nights. Northbound lanes will see closures starting at 10:30 p.m., while southbound lanes will begin closing at 11 p.m. Lanes are expected to reopen partially in the morning hours of the subsequent days. WSDOT suggests using the signed SR 99 detour or alternate regional routes. Coupled with that, the Mercer Street on-ramps to both north- and southbound I-5 will be closed for the duration of the weekend. This is linked to the SR 520 I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project, promising fresh pavement and stiff shoulders by Monday morning.
With detour routes likely to buckle under the added pressure, travelers are advised to "know before you go" and look to travel during the lulls of off-peak periods or even delay less critical trips. Keeping ahead of the traffic game is possible with WSDOT's real-time travel map, which should offer some respite against the backdrop of a construction-laden weekend.
