HEADS UP: Expect major congestion across Puget Sound throughout May

If it feels like there’s construction everywhere this month, you’re not imagining it.

Beginning this weekend and continuing through May, travel around the greater Puget Sound region is going to be slower and more congested as crews work to make major progress on highway projects before Seattle’s summer of soccer arrives.

Let’s get into this weekend’s closure details (May 8-11):

From Friday night, May 8, to Monday morning, May 11, crews will work on I-5, I-405, SR 520, and SR 99, creating longer, less predictable trips across the eastside and Seattle.

Eastside impacts:

• SB I-405 will close between Coal Creek Parkway and SR 900/N. Southport Drive from 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 8 to 4 a.m. Monday, May 11
• All ramps to and from NE 85th Street (Exit 18) will close from 11 p.m. Friday, May 8 to 4 a.m. Monday, May 11. Both directions of Northeast 85th Street will also be fully closed from 114th Avenue Northeast to 120th Avenue Northeast with signed detours in place

Seattle impacts:

• The SR 99 tunnel will be fully closed in both directions for maintenance from 10 p.m. Friday, May 8 to 6 a.m. Saturday, May 9
• EB SR 520 and all associated on-and off-ramps between I-5 and Montlake Blvd. will close for construction from 11 p.m. Friday, May 8 to 5 a.m. Monday, May 11. The Montlake Boulevard on-ramp to EB SR 520 will also close
• NB First Avenue Bridge South will fully close from 9 p.m. Friday, May 8 to 5 a.m. Monday, May 11

Map of major Puget Sound highway closures and restrictions happening May 8–11.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DRIVERS:

When several major corridors are limited at the same time, congestion can extend well beyond the construction areas as drivers find alternate routes.

Travelers are likely to encounter congestion in areas they typically do not associate with freeway construction, including local roads and parallel routes.

Plan for miles-long backups on I-405 in both directions approaching Bellevue and Renton and heavier congestion throughout the I-405 corridor. Travelers in Kirkland should expect heavy congestion on city streets.

Expect constrained travel in Seattle, where two northbound lanes of I-5 remain closed across the Ship Canal Bridge.

So, if you can – leave earlier, travel later, take transit, find alternate routes, plan ahead, give yourself plenty of time and most importantly use tools like our real time travel center to know before you go.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS:

With the exception of Memorial Day weekend, we’ll have major work happening concurrently across multiple highways including I-5, I-405, SR 99, and SR 520. Normally, a lot of this work would continue straight into June and July. But this year is different. With Seattle hosting the men’s soccer tournament many projects will scale back or pause altogether to avoid major traffic impacts so we can keep people and goods moving through the region during the event.

That makes May a really important window to get as much work done as possible before those restrictions begin. And one more thing… we have a full closure of NB I-5 June 5-8 so we can pick up the Revive I-5 workzone. When NB I-5 reopens, all lanes including the Express Lanes will return to normal operations for the duration of the summer of soccer, before we return to our regularly scheduled summer of construction.