Tough traffic expected for weekend construction

Construction work on major roadways is expected to slow traffic on both sides of Lake Washington this weekend.

Only one lane on the northbound I-5 collector-distributor will be open as crews replace worn and aging expansion joints. The lanes will close Friday at 10 p.m. and reopen Monday morning at 5 a.m.

The closure, the seventh of nine weekend closures to replace 26 bridge expansion joints, is a $2.8 million project.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for additional inspection work on Saturday.

The Washington State Department of Transportation says engineers found small fissures on the elevated roadway during an inspection on March 1.

Crews also discovered evidence of movement and widening of existing cracks along girders and supports near Spring and Seneca streets.

WSDOT said the viaduct is safe for drivers.

Mercer Street ramps to north and southbound I-5 will be closed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday while crews install traffic detection equipment.

On the Eastside, the southbound off-ramp to Northeast Eighth Street in Bellevue will be closed all weekend for drainage and barrier work.

“We don’t usually see this much roadwork so early in the year, but this will help us preserve our aging highways and it just can’t wait,” said WSDOT Regional Administrator Lorena Eng.

Get complete details from WSDOT

In downtown Seattle, the intersection of Broadway and E Madison Street will be closed Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during work on overhead wires. It’s part of the First Hill Streetcar project.