Seattleites, brace yourselves for a weekend full of detours as significant roadwork is about to hit the Puget Sound area. The Washington State Department of Transportation has announced extensive highway closures and lane reductions from Oct. 11 through Oct. 14. For those planning to traverse Interstate 5 in Seattle, State Route 99, SR 520 across Lake Washington, US 2 in Snohomish, or I-405 in Bothell, expect delays and rerouting due to this round of critical infrastructure projects.
According to WSDOT, I-5 will shut down nightly in both directions between SR 18 in Federal Way and 54th Avenue East in Fife to quickly set bridge girders for the SR 167 Completion Project. Additional construction details indicate that I-5 Southbound will be reduced to just two lanes in some sections for restriping, a task forecasted to be finished by the early hours following the closures.
For those planning to use SR 99, prepare for a full shutdown of the SR 99 tunnel in Seattle to accommodate its first federally mandated six-year inspection. This level of thorough inspection is crucial for assuring the long-term functionality and safety of the tunnel system. SR 520 is also on the list for a weekend-long closure aimed at testing key safety systems such as lighting and fire suppression under the Montlake lid over the highway.
Drivers who regularly use US 2 will need to find alternative routes as well. WSDOT has signaled that this highway will be temporarily inaccessible between SR 9 and 88th Street Southeast in Snohomish as maintenance crews work diligently to sweep and prepare the roadway for the incoming gloom of the rainy season. On the I-405 front, southbound traffic between SR 522 and Northeast 160th Street will also experience significant reductions in lane count to allow crews to advance the I-405/Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project, as per the WSDOTA.
