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Seattle, let’s talk about this weekend. From 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5, two major closures will be happening at the same time: I-5 EXPRESS LANES: CLOSED The I-5 express lanes will close for the entire weekend while crews continue drainage work underneath the Ship Canal Bridge as part of Revive I-5. The express lanes have been doing some heavy lifting this year, running northbound 24/7 while northbound I-5 remains reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge. But for this work, we need the express lanes themselves. Closing them gives crews access to sections underneath the bridge that can’t be reached from existing scaffolding. They’ll connect drains installed during an earlier phase of the project to the bridge’s permanent drainage system. Last time, we said we’d cross that bridge when we got there. Well, we’re here. This is the second and final planned weekend-long express lane closure for this year. EASTBOUND SR 520: I-5 TO MONTLAKE CLOSED At the exact same time, eastbound SR 520 will close between I-5 and Montlake Boulevard. The Montlake Boulevard on-ramp to EB SR 520 will remain open. Crews will use this closure to prepare sections of the existing bridge and what remains of the old off-ramp, which closed back in June, for removal. One important distinction: eastbound SR 520 is NOT closed across Lake Washington. If you’re already in Montlake, the Montlake Boulevard on-ramp to eastbound SR 520 will remain open and you can still travel east across the lake. But if you’re coming from I-5, you won’t be able to hop onto eastbound SR 520. You’ll need to take an alternate route. SO… WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE WEEKEND? With the I-5 express lanes unavailable and access to eastbound SR 520 from I-5 closed, expect longer and less predictable trips in and around Seattle. This weekend may require a little more planning than simply picking your usual alternate. Other routes will likely be busier as people find their way around the closures, so check your entire route before you leave rather than assuming your usual alternate will be the best alternate. Give yourself plenty of extra time, consider transit or other modes when they work for your trip and check real-time conditions before heading out. And if you’re headed to Sea-Tac, give yourself even more breathing room. There are also southbound I-405 lane reductions in Tukwila from Saturday evening through early Sunday afternoon that could affect airport trips. Some of this work is weather dependent and subject to change. Check back in the comments before the weekend. We’ll post an update there if anything changes. submitted by /u/wsdot |
