Weekend of construction misery includes total shutdown of SB I-5 in Seattle
Jul 7, 2017, 7:40 AM | Updated: 8:52 am
Prepare for traffic delays and road closures along northbound I-5 this weekend. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
It’s another hellish construction weekend around Puget Sound, and this time the state is closing all of southbound I-5 in Seattle.
The southbound lanes between Stewart and James streets will close Friday at midnight. The closure will last about five hours.
“We’re testing our safety systems underneath the Convention Center,” said Lisa Van Cise, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Mainline drivers will have to exit at Stewart Street and use downtown surface streets as their detour. The southbound express lanes will remain open during the closure.
The other major project set for the entire weekend is the paving project that will reduce northbound I-5 to two lanes. Expect big delays for this one.
“It’s not just an I-5 northbound backup,” Van Cise said. “It’s 167, 405, SR 18, even 99.”
Other lane restrictions and projects to watch out for include southbound I-5, where we will be down to two lanes Sunday night into Monday over the Ship Canal Bridge for continued repairs, the Bellevue Way ramps to I-90 will be closed for Sound Transit work, and the construction on I-90 east of North Bend continues.
“We know it’s never fun sitting in those backups,” Van Cise said. “A big thank you to drivers for putting up with these backups, and we’re trying to get this work done as quickly as possible.”
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