I-5 through downtown Seattle closing Friday night for fire systems testing
Jun 12, 2026, 3:59 PM
There will be construction under the Seattle Convention Center. (Photo courtesy of SDOT via Flickr Creative Commons)
(Photo courtesy of SDOT via Flickr Creative Commons)
Late-night travelers through downtown Seattle will face a full closure on I-5 in the southbound direction, Friday night beneath the Convention Center.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews will close the southbound I-5 on-ramp at Mercer Street and the southbound I-5 on-ramp at Yale Avenue/Howell Street starting at 10 p.m.
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Detour for I-5 closure
People traveling on southbound I-5 will take the Stewart Street/Denny Way off-ramp (Exit 166) to downtown Seattle to access the I-5/Interstate 90 interchange near the stadiums.
One lane of northbound I-5 will close at Seneca Street. The University Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 will also close.
Both directions of I-5 under the Seattle Convention Center will also have a flammable cargo restriction in place for the duration of this closure.
WSDOT maintenance crews will use this closure to perform annual fire systems testing.
All lanes of southbound I-5 under the Seattle Convention Center will close from 11 p.m. Friday, June 12, to 6 a.m. Saturday, June 13.
Alternate routes include I-405 and SR 99.
Nate Connors is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Follow him on X. Read more of his stories here. Submit news tips here.
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