Bothell commuters, prepare for a shake-up on the roads as the I-405/State Route 522 interchange introduces new traffic signals to underpin the I-405 expansion project. Drivers can expect to navigate through this new maze of lights as early as Monday, Nov. 24, with the promise of smoothing the current snarl that greets them daily, especially those veering off to Woodinville, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The improvements include two new signalised intersections on SR 522, on either side of the I-405, much needed to keep pace with an additional lane getting thrown into the mix for the eastbound ramp traffic.
As per what the WSDOT shared, drivers will have a couple of new dance steps to learn once the new setup is live: turning right at a signal from southbound I-405 to eastbound SR 522, a left at another for the reverse journey from northbound I-405 to westbound SR 522, amongst several other changes signaling a departure from the familiar flyover and loop ramp configurations these signals side-stepping into the play maneuver an additional lane access from northbound I-405 to eastbound SR 522—this will be a lesson in adaptability for the regular road warriors.
Traffic engineers from WSDOT are like conductors in this symphony of signals, tweaking the timing to minimise delays and keep traffic flowing; the goal is to add no more than a minute to peak-hour commutes along SR 522. Nonetheless, constructions continue to play their tune around these intersections, which may hit a note of delay for some drivers making their way through, WSDOT aims for a brisk cadence in construction, hoping to open up a third lane in the aforementioned stretches a few weeks down the line "Activating these new signals is a major step forward for this critical interchange," I-405/SR 167 Program Administrator Lisa Hodgson conveyed the significance of this transition in a statement.
Looking forward, the melody of progress hums into 2026 as crews plan to dismantle former ramp bridges; this demolition opera happening over what WSDOT plans as consecutive weekend closures. More details will naturally come to light as the scheduled performances draw near. Such structural reforms are in harmony with widening the I-405, amplifying the express toll lanes, and servicing the voter-sanctioned Stride Bus Rapid Transit, with its ten-minute headways—music to the ears of transit riders across the region.
_in_Lake_City,_Seattle_-_01.jpg){kind=link}