SR 520, I-405 closures add to traffic madness during weekend sporting events

The Seattle Seahawks are playing its home-opening game this weekend. The Washington Huskies are home too, so what a perfect time to shut down a major freeway.

I-405 closures expected Friday to Monday

Snohomish County football fans will need another option to get to this weekend’s games. Southbound Interstate 405 (I-405) will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday night until 4 a.m. Monday morning between Canyon Park and State Route 522 (SR 522).

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All southbound traffic will be diverted off the freeway at State Route 527, but that road cannot handle much extra traffic.

“The detour route can’t handle the kind of traffic we see on I-405 southbound on an average weekend,” the Washington Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) Lauren Penning said. “We’re really going to be encouraging drivers, if they can, to delay their trips. Don’t go through downtown Bothell unless you have some reason to be there this weekend, and be aware that we’re going to have a lot more traffic on the Bothell Everett Highway.”

You will be able to access southbound I-405 from either direction of SR 522.

WSDOT is repaving the soundbound lanes during this closure. Most of the work will be focused on the south end of the closure from 195th to the interchange.

“I’m sure people who drive that frequently are familiar,” Penning said. “There’s a lot of ruts and potholes out there, especially as you’re heading toward the Woodinville Curve. This is going to be really great news come Monday morning.”

Why this weekend?

I’m sure you’re all asking, why close a freeway during the Hawks’ home opening weekend and a weekend with a Husky home game? Doing it all in one sunny weekend just makes the most sense.

“We’ve still got some good weather, and that’s why we have to do this closure now,” Penning said. “We always look at other alternatives. Could we do this work overnight? It’s just too many closures to be able to do that efficiently and safely. It’s a lot easier for us to just get the freeway closed, get the work done and then, when we reopen to traffic, drivers will have a much smoother ride.”

Southbound drivers do have a new option to get around, should they be heading downtown for a game. They can always drive to Lynnwood and catch the Light Rail to Seattle. I’m expecting a lot of busy trains this weekend.

And this is not the last I-405 closure in the area. WSDOT is also anticipating a full northbound I-405 closure in the same area in a few weeks.

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Prepare for SR 520 closures this weekend

The State Route (SR) 520 westbound on-ramp to southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) joins the construction chaos this weekend with a full closure. But, there is good news at the end of the tunnel, when it reopens Monday morning a second lane will reopen.

In 2022, this two-lane on-ramp was dwindled down to one lane to make room for contractors with WSDOT. Since then crews have constructed a new SR 520 flyover ramp in the same area, which is part of the SR 520/I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project. The flyover ramp is nearing its final stage of completion and the extra lane is no longer needed.

Over the weekend, crews will repave the on-ramp and restore the second lane for travel.

The on-ramp is scheduled to close Friday at 9 p.m. and reopen by Monday at 5 a.m. WSDOT said it will temporarily reopen the on-ramp prior to Sunday’s Seahawks game at Lumen Field, between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Looking ahead: Next weekend, Montlake Boulevard closes at SR 520, including the on/off ramps.

Editors note: This story was originally published on September 5, it has been updated and republished since then.

Contributing: Nate Connors, KIRO Newsradio

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