The I-5 express lanes have been doing some heavy lifting this year, running northbound during Revive I-5 construction.
This weekend, we need to close them completely.
From 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14, the I-5 express lanes in Seattle will CLOSE for the entire weekend.
Collective sigh. Now let’s talk about why and I promise there’s a good reason for it.
WHAT ARE CREWS DOING?
It all comes down to drainage work underneath the Ship Canal Bridge.
Most of the drainage work crews have been doing underneath the bridge this year has been accessible using scaffolding installed in 2024. But there are sections of the bridge the scaffolding doesn’t reach.
That’s where the express lanes come in.
Closing them gives crews access to those areas so they can connect drains installed during an earlier phase of the project to the permanent drainage system. Crews also need uninterrupted time to complete this work before the fall rains arrive.
WHY DOES THE DRAINAGE WORK MATTER?
Water and bridges aren’t exactly best friends.
Completing these connections will help move water off the bridge more effectively, reducing standing water on the roadway and helping protect the new concrete bridge deck from water-related deterioration.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR TRAFFIC?
Expect increased congestion and longer travel times to and through Seattle during the closure. Other north-south routes will likely be busier too as people look for ways around I-5.
And the express lanes aren’t the only construction happening around the region this weekend. There’s work planned in Seattle and across the Eastside, including on I-90, I-405, SR 520 and SR 99. The good news: it’s not all happening at once. Some closures are overnight, some happen during the day and others don’t begin until later Saturday.
We know what you’re thinking: “Okay, so what’s the alternate route?”
There isn’t one magic detour. No single alternate route can absorb all the traffic that normally travels on I-5 through Seattle.
Your best bet is to know before you go. Check real-time conditions, give yourself extra time and consider alternate routes or modes when they make sense for your trip.
While you’ve got your calendar out, there’s one more weekend you’ll want to mark down. A second weekend-long closure of the express lanes is scheduled for 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5.
But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
submitted by /u/wsdot
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