I-90 drivers caught off guard by temporary lane configuration in Seattle
Apr 23, 2018, 12:53 PM | Updated: 12:55 pm
Westbound I-90 into Seattle backed up Monday morning as drivers learned to deal with a temporary lane configuration change in Seattle. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
Drivers on westbound I-90 were caught off guard Monday morning by a temporary lane configuration change that’s part of the Revive I-5 project.
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One of the impacts of the project in Seattle is the reconfiguration of the collector-distributor lanes that feed the downtown exits and allow I-90 westbound to connect to I-5.
Madison Street is now exit-only. Drivers coming off I-90 looking to hop onto I-5 now only have the left lane to do so.
The change surprised some drivers. Many drivers merged at the last minute, creating further backups. It caused 40-minute delays on I-90 across Lake Washington for the bulk of the morning commute.
The state is doing major renovation of I-5 through Seattle this summer. That includes the replacement of 37 expansion joints and replacing damaged concrete panels. Crews will also repave and make improvements to safety barriers. The project stretches from Martin Luther King Jr. Way to NE Ravenna Boulevard.
Major work is planned for the following weekends:
- 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
