Major I-5 closure could mean miserable weekend travel

Expect a tough drive on I-5 into Seattle this weekend. The Washington Department of Transportation will reduce northbound I-5 from four lanes to two lanes and close multiple ramps between the West Seattle Bridge and Olive Way Friday night until Monday morning.

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One will remain open overnight. Express lanes will remain open in the northbound direction all weekend.

During the closure, crews will replace bridge expansion joints and fix concrete on portions of the 50-year old roadway.

Tom Pearce with WSDOT says the closure will have region-wide traffic impacts.

“We’re going to see it on all the roads — I-405, I-90, 599, 509 and even southbound I-5,” he said.

KIRO Radio traffic reporter Chris Sullivan advises you to carefully plan your drive and be ready with an alternate. You can avoid most of the problems by traveling really early or really late.

Drivers experienced up to 90-minute delays on the freeway and 40-minute to hour delays on the alternates during similar closures on I-5 in the past.

Closure details, according to WSDOT:

• Two lanes of northbound I-5 will remain open between the West Seattle Bridge and Olive Way from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
• A single lane will remain open each night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• The Express Lanes will remain open in the northbound direction all weekend.

Ramp closures
The following ramps will be closed during the weekend construction:

• Northbound I-5 off-ramp to the West Seattle Bridge, Spokane Street and Columbian Way
• Columbian Way on-ramp to northbound I-5
• Westbound I-90 on-ramp to northbound I-5
• Eastbound I-90/Edgar Martinez Drive on-ramp to northbound I-5
• Dearborn Street on-ramp to northbound I-5
• University Street on-ramp to northbound I-5
• Cherry Street on-ramp to northbound I-5

Additional weekend lane closures
This is the first of at least six weekends of northbound I-5 lane reductions between the West Seattle Bridge and SR 520. Two of the six weekends include full closures of northbound I-5. Scheduled weekends include:

• April 27-30: Two lanes open
• May 11-14: Two lanes open
• May 18-21: Full northbound I-5 closure
• June 1-4: Full northbound I-5 closure
• July 13-16: Two lanes open