Brace for weekend backups with numerous Seattle-area events, continued construction

There’s plenty to do around the Seattle area this weekend, but with so many people out and about colliding with plenty of construction, be prepared for lots of traffic wherever you try to go.

Check the latest traffic conditions

An estimated 500,000 people are expected to converge on downtown Saturday for the the various events including the Seafair Torchlight Parade, Capitol Hill Block Party, Mariners and Sounders.

The Seafair Torchlight Parade gets underway at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. SR 99 Northbound will be closed for the Torchlight Run from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

Streets will be closed on Capitol Hill all weekend for the annual music festival, expected to draw 10,000 people.

The M’s play Friday at 7:10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1:10 p.m. At least 30,000 will converge on CenturyLink Field for the Sounders matchup with Chivas USA Sunday at 8 p.m. (you can hear the game on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM.)

Adding to the pressure are two big events at KeyArena this weekend. Thousands are expected for the big UFC fights getting underway at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, and teen heartthrobs One Direction play a sold out show at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Check out the MyNorthwest.com events calendar

Along with all those events, summer construction continues in full swing, causing a number of closures.

List of construction closures:

– Starting at 11:59 p.m. Friday all lanes of southbound Interstate 5 will close under the Washington State Convention Center for an annual test of the fire suppression system. The express lanes will be open southbound overnight and mainline traffic will have to exit at Stewart Street.

– The I-5 exit ramps at Corson Avenue South will be closed the entire weekend so crews can replaced broken expansion joints and resurface sections of the ramps. The exits are expected to reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday.

– The off ramp from southbound I-5 to State Route 520 will close overnight from Saturday to Sunday for signal repair work.

– The Northgate Way Improvement Project began July 25 and will impact traffic on Northgate Way from Greenwood Avenue North to Lake City Way Northeast for the next year. Currently, 105th is closed eastbound at Greenwood Avenue North for the first phase of construction.

– Eastbound State Route 18 will close for repairs July 26-29 between State Route 167 and Southeast 304th Street. The 3-mile stretch of road will reopen for the Monday morning commute.