Operations include paving, drainage work, electrical installations, and traffic signal alterations.

Lane closure on SR 16 west approaching Gorst

From 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, the left lane of State Route 16 (SR 16) will close near Anderson Hill Road at milepost 28, approaching Gorst.

During the closure, the WSDOT maintenance crews will repair the roadway shoulder west of the SR 166 underpass.

Drivers should anticipate congestion in the area and plan accordingly.

Lane, ramp closures on SR 167 and North Meridian Avenue in Puyallup

WSDOT crews are entering the next step of the new State Route 167 (SR 167) Completion Project. Work includes electrical installations, traffic signal adjustments, and restriping.

To complete this work, contractor crews for WSDOT will close lanes and ramps at the SR 167/North Meridian Avenue interchange in Puyallup nightly, Monday, Oct. 20, through the morning of Friday, Oct. 24.

Lane closures Monday, Oct. 20 and Tuesday, Oct. 21

• 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane of southbound SR 167 from SR 410 to North Meridian Avenue will be closed.
• 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane of northbound North Meridian Avenue will be closed.
• 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane of southbound North Meridian Avenue will be closed.
• 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane of northbound SR 167 from North Meridian Avenue to SR 410 will be closed.

Full closure Wednesday, Oct. 22 and Thursday, Oct. 23

• 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. – The southbound SR 167 ramp to westbound State Route 512 (SR 512) will be closed.

SR 167 Completion Project

The SR 167 Completion Project builds 6 miles of new tolled highway between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma.

The new expressway will be built in stages. The first stage of work completed the new Wapato Way East bridge and State Route 99 (SR 99) roundabout in Fife. The second stage builds the expressway between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma. It’s scheduled to open in 2026.

Work on the third stage between SR 161/North Meridian Avenue and SR 410 began in 2025. Construction of the last stage between North Meridian Avenue and I-5 will begin in 2026.

The entire project is planned for completion by 2030.

Overnight SR 99 lane closures planned Oct. 20-25 in SeaTac, Des Moines

Lane closures on both directions of SR 99 are planned from as early as 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, Monday, Oct. 20, until Thursday morning, Oct. 23, between SR 516 in Des Moines and South 200th Street in SeaTac for paving and utility work.

The right lanes on westbound State Route 516 (SR 516) and northbound SR 99 also will close from 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, until 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.

This nightly work is weather-dependent and could be rescheduled due to rain.

Contractor crews working for WSDOT are nearly finished with a project that repaved 2 miles of SR 99 between SR 516 and South 200th Street. The project also upgraded sidewalks along this corridor to modern Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Construction will finish later this fall.

Lane, ramp closures I-5 and SR 509 in south King County continue Oct. 20-25 

There will be lane and ramp closures on I-5 and State Route 509 (SR 509) for paving and drainage work, part of the SR 509 Completion Project.

I-5 lane closures

Monday, Oct. 20 through the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 8 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. — up to two lanes of northbound I-5 will close overnight between SR 516 (Exit 149) and South 200th Street/Military Road (Exit 151).

Monday, Oct. 20 through the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. — up to two lanes of southbound I-5 will close nightly between South 200th Street/Military Road (Exit 151) and SR 516 (Exit 149).

SR 509 lane closures

Monday, Oct. 20, through the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. — one lane of northbound SR 509 will close overnight from South 188th Street to South 176th Street.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, through the morning of Saturday, Oct. 25, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. — one lane in each direction of SR 509 will close nightly between South 188th Street and South 176th Street.

SR 509 ramp closures

Monday, Oct. 20, through the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 21, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. — the Des Moines Memorial Drive South ramp to northbound SR 509 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

Tuesday, Oct. 21, through the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. — the southbound SR 509 exit to South 188th Street will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

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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On Monday, October 20, two lanes will open along this 2-mile stretch in both directions of SR 18, bringing much-needed relief to the 24,000 daily commuters.

Leading up to Monday’s grand reopening, however, is a four-day closure on SR 18 between I-90 and Issaquah-Hobart Road to put the final touches on this project.

David Rasbach, with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), spoke with KIRO Newsradio.

“Well, we’re going to be shifting SR 18 into its new configuration, which will be two lanes in each direction, between I-90 and Deep Creek,” David Rasbach, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), told KIRO Newsradio. “So this is a pretty exciting milestone. The first phase of this project was opening the diverging diamond interchange, which we did in July. And this is really the second big part of that project, widening state route 18 for two miles in each direction, and it’s all about improving traffic flow through that corridor and improving safety.”

Rasbach explained why this project is such a big deal.

“There’s a pinch point located a couple hundred feet south of I-90,” he said. “And basically, that’s taking all traffic that wants to travel westbound on SR 18 towards Auburn, and funneling it down to one lane. So that includes traffic coming from Snoqualmie and Snoqualmie Parkway. That includes two lanes of traffic coming from westbound I-90 and two lanes of traffic coming from eastbound I-90. It’s all funneling down into one lane now.”

The bottleneck is creating heavy traffic backups.

“What we’re seeing during busier travel times, such as afternoon commutes, Sunday afternoons, is backups, and that congestion kind of stretches through the DDI (diverging diamond interchange), and it stretches up to I-90 and even onto mainline I-90,” Rasbach said. “So when we remove that pinch point, the diverging diamond will be able to function like it was intended to do, and move traffic through that corridor and down westbound SR 18.”

State Route 18

Future State Route 18 closures

This project isn’t quite finished yet. In the weeks ahead, WSDOT will once again have single-lane closures along this new stretch of SR 18 to finish minor details. Backups are expected to be minimal during these lane closures now that a second lane has been added. Dates for these lane closures have yet to be announced.

And then the cherry on top will be a final top layer of pavement.

“It’ll be quite a bit of pavement,” Rasbach shared. “We have to put a top layer of asphalt over that entire section of SR 18, through the diverging diamond itself, and on the on and off ramps to I-90. That asphalt needs prime weather conditions. It can’t be raining. It needs to be a certain temperature, so it cures properly. So we’re at a point in 2025 where we’re just not going to see that weather anymore. So we are going to finish applying that top layer of asphalt in 2026 once the weather warms up.”

In the meantime, during this four-day closure, WSDOT has a marked detour, and it emphasizes that freight needs to adhere to it.

“We’re trying to push all freight traffic off of Issaquah-Hobart road and Issaquah city streets, which are not suitable for freight, for semi trucks, basically. We’re asking them to stick to the interstates, I-405, I-90, State Route 169,” Rasbach said.

Drivers should anticipate heavy volumes along these routes through Monday morning when all lanes of SR 18 reopen.

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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Since Sept. 18, expansion joint repairs have closed one eastbound lane on Interstate 90 (I-90) across Mercer Island, resulting in back-ups into Seattle and adding a half-hour to the daily commute for the 75,000 who travel during peak drive times.

Weekend road work will impact several routes in western Washington.

Overnight I-90 east lane and ramp closures: Oct. 3 to 5 from Mercer Island to Bellevue

Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will finish reconfiguring eastbound I-90 after replacing the expansion joint at E. Mercer Way.

What to expect

• Eastbound I-90 will close up to three lanes while this switch is happening.
• People should expect intermittent rolling slowdowns with up to 20-minute delays.
• The E. Mercer Way on-ramp to eastbound I-90 will close.
• The eastbound I-90 HOV on-ramp from 80th Avenue S.E. will remain closed.
• When the work is completed Sunday, all eastbound I-90 lanes and ramps will reopen.

This work needs dry weather and may need to be rescheduled.

SR 99 tunnel to close in both directions Friday night, Oct. 3, in Seattle for maintenance

WSDOT crews will start closing northbound and southbound lanes at 8:30 p.m., with the tunnel fully closed by 10 p.m. Drivers going south on SR 99 will need to take the Harrison Street off-ramp, and northbound SR 99 drivers must exit at Alaskan Way. The Sixth Avenue and Royal Brougham Way on-ramps also will close at 9 p.m.

Crews will perform regular maintenance involving several important tasks, including:

• Fire suppression testing.
• Cleaning and marking drains.
• Fixing lights.

People traveling through downtown Seattle on Friday night should use alternate routes.

SR 18 closures planned Oct. 3-6 in Auburn to complete replacement of worn bridge joints

Eastbound highway closes Friday night, Oct. 3. Westbound to fully close Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5.

Both directions of State Route 18 (SR 18) will fully close at different times during a weekend-long series of lane, ramp, and directional closures beginning Friday, Oct. 3, to complete the replacement of worn expansion joints on the C Street S.W. bridge in Auburn.

Work will be divided into three phases from 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6.

First phase: Full eastbound SR 18 closure

From 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, until as late as 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, all eastbound lanes of SR 18 will close between C Street Southwest and Auburn Way South. All eastbound vehicles will need to exit to C Street Southwest, and drivers may follow a signed detour using city streets to the Auburn Way South on-ramp to eastbound SR 18. Police will help direct traffic through intersections.

The left lane of westbound SR 18 will close at the same time, as will the C Street Southwest on-ramp to eastbound SR 18 and the off-ramp to Auburn Way South.

Second phase: Full westbound SR 18 closure

From as early as 7 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, until as late as 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, all lanes of westbound SR 18 will close at Auburn Way South. All vehicles will need to exit to Auburn Way South and can use the on-ramp back onto westbound SR 18. Police will help direct traffic through the intersection.

Third phase: Westbound SR 18 lane reduction

From as early as 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, until as late as 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6, the right lane of westbound SR 18 and the Auburn Way South on-ramp to westbound SR 18 will close. The left lane of westbound SR 18 will reopen during this final phase of work.

Expansion joint replacement

Contractor crews working for WSDOT will finish replacing worn expansion joints on the C Street Southwest bridge during the closures.

Crews replaced joints along the westbound SR 18 portion of the bridge Sept. 26-29 and now must flip to the other half of the bridge. After the joints are installed, crews will stretch silicone seals across the entire width of the joint. These glands allow portions of the bridge structure to expand and contract during weather changes.

The work is part of a project repaving a 3-mile stretch of eastbound SR 18 in Auburn.

Traffic shift on North Meridian Avenue at SR 167 in Puyallup planned for Oct. 4-5

Overnight lane and ramp closures will occur prior to the shift.

A traffic shift is scheduled on North Meridian Avenue at the State Route 167 interchange in Puyallup, beginning Saturday, Oct. 4. Crews working for the WSDOT will shift traffic on North Meridian Avenue into bypass lanes to create room for a new work zone.

After traffic is shifted into the bypass, crews will begin building a new diverging diamond interchange on North Meridian Avenue and bridge over it as part of the SR 167 Completion Project. In addition, the speed limit will be reduced in the area to 25 mph.

To shift traffic into the bypass for crews will close lanes overnight on SR 167, North Meridian Avenue, and Valley Avenue.

Thursday, Oct. 2, to the morning of Friday, Oct. 3

• 8:30 to 5 a.m. — Southbound SR 167 from Milwaukee Avenue to North Meridian Avenue will be reduced to one lane.
• 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. — Southbound SR 167 to southbound North Meridian Avenue will be reduced to one lane.
• 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. — One lane in each direction of North Meridian Avenue at SR 167 will be closed.
• 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. — The right turn lane from Valley Avenue to southbound North Meridian Avenue will be closed.

Friday, Oct. 3, to the morning of Saturday, Oct. 4

• 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. — Southbound SR 167 to southbound North Meridian Avenue will be reduced to one lane.
• 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. — The right lane of the southbound SR 167 off-ramp to North Meridian Avenue will be closed.
• 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. — The ramp from North Meridian Avenue to northbound SR 167 will be closed. The left turn lane on southbound North Meridian Avenue will also be closed. Drivers will follow a signed detour to access a new northbound SR 167 on-ramp off of North Levee Road.

Saturday, Oct. 4, to the morning of Sunday, Oct. 5

• 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. —Southbound SR 167 to northbound North Meridian Avenue will be reduced to one lane.
• 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. — One lane in each direction of North Meridian Avenue at SR 167 will be closed.
• 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. — All lanes on the North Levee Road loop that merge onto northbound SR 167 will be closed. Signed detours will be in place.
• 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. — North Meridian Avenue to northbound SR 167 full ramp closure. The left turn lane on southbound North Meridian Avenue will also be closed. Drivers will follow a signed detour to access a new northbound SR 167 on-ramp off of North Levee Road.

This work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of rain. Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes this weekend.

Lane and ramp closures on I-5, SR 516, and SR 509 in south King County continue Sept. 29-Oct. 6

Lane and ramp closures on Interstate 5, State Route 516, and SR 509 in Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Kent to allow crews to stripe the road. The lane and ramp closures on SR 516 will allow crews to install signage. The SR 509 lane and ramp closures will allow crews to install signage and pave the road.

This work is part of the SR 509 Completion Project.

I-5 lane closure information

Monday, Sept. 29, through the morning of Friday, Oct. 3

• 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. — Up to two lanes of southbound I-5 will close nightly between South 200th Street/Military Road South (Exit 151) and SR 516 (Exit 149).

Saturday, Oct. 4 through the morning of Sunday, Oct. 5

• 11:59 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. — Up to four lanes of northbound I-5 will close overnight between South 272nd Street (Exit 147) and SR 516 (Exit 149).

Sunday, Oct. 5 through the morning of Monday, Oct. 6

• 11:59 p.m. to 6 a.m. — Up to three lanes of southbound I-5 will close overnight between South 200th Street/Military Road South (Exit 151) and South 272nd Street (Exit 147).

SR 516 lane closure information

• 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. — One lane of westbound SR 516 will close nightly between Military Road South and SR 99.

SR 516 ramp closure information

Sunday, Oct. 5 through the morning of Monday, Oct. 6

• 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. — The westbound SR 516 ramp to northbound I-5 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.
• 11:59 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. — The eastbound SR 516 ramp to northbound I-5 will close nightly. A signed detour will be in place.

SR 509 ramp closure information

• 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. — The 24th Avenue South on-ramp to southbound SR 509 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

SR 509 Completion Project information

The SR 509 Completion Project builds 3 miles of new tolled highway between I-5 and South 188th Street near the south end of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The new highway will be completed in stages. The portion between I-5 and 24th Avenue South opened on June 28, and a new tunnel under I-5 at the SR 516 interchange opened on July 16. The final stage builds the remaining 2 miles of the expressway between 24th Avenue South and South 188th Street. The entire project is planned for completion by 2029.

Another round of northbound I-5 weekend lane closures in Lacey 

WSDOT crews will close two right lanes of northbound I-5 between Carpenter Road and Marvin Road.

Work schedule:

• 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3 until 2 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4.
• 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 until 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5..
• Northbound I-5 will be reduced to one lane approaching Carpenter Road.

The lane closures allow crews to make repairs to the roadway. During the morning of Sunday, Oct. 5, travelers may see little to no activity in the work zone as concrete is curing.

EVERETT: The end is in sight for the southbound I-5 paving project

Our ongoing project to repair pavement on southbound I-5 through Everett is in its final stretch and on track to fully wrap up later this month, depending on the weather.

This weekend work continues in South Everett for a 12-14-hour window, from as early as 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, to as late as 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4:

• The southbound I-5 off-ramp to southbound SR 99/SR 527.
• The southbound I-5 off-ramp to westbound SR 526.
• Three right lanes on southbound I-5 between mileposts 189.1 and 189.4.

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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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is really pouring it on this weekend, as it races to get projects finished before the heavy rainy season arrives. This weekend includes four major projects that will affect drivers in Renton, Kent, Auburn, and Issaquah. WSDOT crews are ready to guide the region through this weekend’s agenda.

Full closure of southbound I-5 in Kent

Starting this Friday at 11:59 p.m., WSDOT will close all lanes of southbound I-5 at SR 516 in Kent. That closure will extend down to S. 272nd Street.

“The reason we’re doing this is that we have 60 broken concrete panels that need to be replaced, and they have a very long cure time, which is why it requires an entire weekend to remove the old panels, place the new panels, and let them cure,” WSDOT spokesperson Kris Olsen said. “This is really vital infrastructure and preservation work to help extend the life of I-5.”

All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29.

“We are also going to be closing the new Southbound 509 expressway from 24th Avenue to I-5, because otherwise, if people take that, it’s just going to literally dump them into where I-5 closes and takes them off at [SR] 516,” Olsen continued.

SR 18 closure in Auburn, I-90 closure in Issaquah

Additionally, westbound SR 18 in Auburn will have lane, ramp, and directional closures due to replacing the expansion joints on the C Street Southwest bridge.

“We divided into two phases,” David Rasbach, a spokesperson with WSDOT, explained. “The first phase will be from 9 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. on Sunday. During that phase, we’ll close the right lane of westbound SR 18 and the Auburn Way S. on-ramp to westbound SR 18. At about 2 a.m. on Sunday, we’ll switch to the second phase, and all westbound SR 18 lanes will be closed.”

Phase one will have lane closures between the M and C Streets. Phase two will close all westbound lanes of SR 18 at Auburn Way S.

“Traffic will detour by using the off ramp to Auburn Way S. and then the on ramp back onto westbound SR 18,” Rasbach continued. “This work is important because we’re replacing expansion joints on the C Street southwest bridge. We are telling people to expect delays during busier travel times.”

Lane closures continue through Issaquah on I-90.

“This will begin at 9 p.m. Friday, and will close up to three right lanes of westbound I-90, near Front Street, leaving one lane open,” Rasbach said. “We’ll also close the front street on-ramp to westbound I-90. And this is again to do some bridge work, repairing pavement, and replacing a waterproof membrane.”

All lanes will be open by 8 a.m. on Sunday.

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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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is finishing a project on the East Channel Bridge that started with a failed expansion joint in January 2024.

Drivers may recall the massive backups caused during that emergency closure in 2024. This latest project will most likely bring similar backups to eastbound I-90 through Oct. 5, the projected completion date.

For the next 16 days, the one-mile stretch between E. Mercer Way and Bellevue Way will be down to three lanes. It is common to see backups starting in Seattle during peak drive times. This leaves SR 520 as the only option crossing Lake Washington.

WSDOT crews will repair expansion joints during this period.

Overnight closure of westbound I-90 over Lake Washington

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will conduct regular maintenance operations inside the Mercer Island tunnel and the Mount Baker tunnel. Last Friday, WSDOT had this same closure in the eastbound direction.

This week, crews will switch work to the westbound I-90, closing all lanes between Island Crest Way and Rainier Avenue S. Closures begin Friday, Sept. 19, at 10 p.m., with all lanes reopening by 6 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 20.

Westbound I-90 in Issaquah

Beginning Friday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m., drivers headed west through Issaquah will have a 1-mile stretch at Front Street where two left lanes will be closed for bridge work. The Front Street on-ramp will be closed during this project, which is scheduled to wrap up by 8 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 21.

Crews are scheduled to reduce westbound I-90 to a single lane for two more weekends to continue bridge repairs in Issaquah. The first weekend is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 26-28, while the second will be after the Oct. 4-5 Issaquah Salmon Days festival.

Westbound I-90 off-ramp to SR 18 closed

The westbound I-90 off-ramp to SR 18/Snoqualmie Parkway will close from 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, to install guardrail and curb work near Snoqualmie.

During the ramp closure, westbound I-90 drivers will have a detour, which loops around at Preston/Fall City (exit 22) and uses the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to SR 18/Snoqualmie Parkway.

In addition to the new diverging diamond interchange, the I-90/SR 18 Interchange Improvements project is widening SR 18 to two lanes in each direction between I-90 and Deep Creek. That work is expected to finish later this fall.

Southbound I-405 lane reductions in Bellevue

WSDOT crews need to reduce lanes  to remove pavement, excavate, complete sewer repairs, and pave to support work on the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project

From 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, to 4:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, southbound I-405 lane reductions will be in place from N.E. 70th Place to I-90.

The following southbound I-405 on-ramps also will close:

• N.E. 70th Place
• S.E. Eighth Street

A signed detour route will guide people around the closures.

Northbound I-5 off-ramp to N.E. 130th Street closed

Sound Transit crews will close the northbound I-5 off-ramp to Northeast 130th Street from 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, until 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, to continue work on the Pinehurst Station, which is part of the Lynnwood Link Extension project and is scheduled to open in 2026.

E. Roanoke Street closed on Capitol Hill

Drivers on the north end of Capitol Hill will not have access to E. Roanoke Street just east of the freeway both Saturday and Sunday.

Closure details:

• Crews will close East Roanoke Street between Harvard Avenue and 10th Avenue East each day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Uniformed police officers will be on site to guide vehicle and pedestrian traffic around the closure.
• Access will be maintained for emergency services.
• Drivers and pedestrians will need to follow the signed detours.

During the two-day closure, crews will trench and install an underground conduit system for future utility relocation.

Westbound lane closures at Tacoma Narrows Bridge begin Friday morning

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge requires another repair to address an expansion joint issue in the westbound direction.

At 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 19, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) crews will close the two right lanes approaching the bridge, along with the Jackson Avenue on-ramp to westbound SR 16. During the closure, the HOV lane will be open to all drivers. All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20.

Once the expansion joint is repaired, crews will pour new concrete. The concrete needs time to cure, so travelers might see lane closures when there appears to be little or no activity in the work zone.

Drivers can expect to see congestion on westbound SR 16 approaching the bridge during the lane closures, and significant congestion approaching the bridge during the afternoon commute Friday, Sept. 19. Drivers should add extra travel time to help prevent delays or consider combining or postponing discretionary trips.

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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The bridge is expected to be closed for “about 30 days,” according to WSDOT.

The decision to close the bridge was made during the initial inspection, but the closure didn’t take place until Sept. 15, once WSDOT had all the materials in place.

In August, a routine inspection by WSDOT discovered excessive wear on portions of steel support beams on the Dan Evans Bridge. Since that discovery, WSDOT made the decision to limit travel across the bridge to a single lane, alternating traffic to lighten the load across the bridge deck.

With a full bridge closure, crews can work faster to reopen the bridge in both directions. The option was to work with single-lane closures, but that would have extended repair work well beyond the current one-month timeline.

Multiple communities rely on Dan Evans Bridge

The 93-year-old Dan Evans Bridge is a direct connection between Black Diamond and Enumclaw. Now, drivers will have a detour around this closure, but it isn’t nearly as lengthy as the 38-mile detour at the White River Bridge in Buckley.

The White River Bridge on State Route 410 (SR 410) is a direct connection between Enumclaw and Buckley. This bridge suffered severe damage in August when an over-height truck struck the steel support beams.

Unlike the Dan Evans Bridge, the damage to the White River Bridge was deemed unsafe and was closed immediately. Coincidentally, repair work just started on the White River Bridge, too.

WSDOT estimated it will take six to eight weeks to complete work on the White River Bridge, which puts the reopening date somewhere between Halloween and mid-November.

The Dan Evans Bridge is estimated to take one month for repairs, placing the reopening date around Oct. 15.

Fall is typically the “rainy season” in the Pacific Northwest, meaning the weather will play a role in the overall timeline with both projects.

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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I-405 in Renton

A full closure on southbound I-405 is scheduled throughout the entire weekend between Coal Creek Parkway and State Route 900 (SR 900)/Sunset Boulevard. The 4.5-mile closure is needed for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to tackle a number of projects before the fall rainy season arrives.

Crews will be excavating drainage crossings, installing ramp metering and lighting, repaving, and completing a traffic switch as the next phase moves forward with the I-405/Bellevue to Renton Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project.

This closure begins Friday, September 12, at 11:30 p.m. through 4 a.m., Monday, September 15. A detour will send drivers to Coal Creek Parkway, which isn’t designed to handle freeway volumes.  Drivers may want to consider crossing Lake Washington and traveling southbound on I-5.

I-90 in Issaquah

Beginning Friday, September 12, at 8 p.m., WSDOT will reduce westbound I-90 to a single lane between Sunset Way and Front Street. Bridge repairs on two separate bridges will last through 8 a.m., Sunday, September 14. During this time, drivers will see significant backups approaching this 1-mile stretch of lane reductions, especially during peak hours.

I-90 by Lake Washington

Beginning Friday, September 12, at 10 p.m., all eastbound lanes of I-90 will close between Seattle and Mercer Island. This includes the southbound I-5 on-ramp, northbound and southbound Rainier Avenue South on-ramps, and the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to West Mercer Way.

WSDOT crews will conduct regular tunnel maintenance overnight with all lanes reopened by 6 a.m., Saturday, September 13. WSDOT will switch this closure to the westbound direction of I-90 next weekend for similar tunnel maintenance.

I-5 in Lacey

WSDOT will have two nights of lane closures northbound on I-5 between Carpenter Road and Marvin Road. Friday, September 12, two right lanes will close at 10 p.m. through 5 a.m., Saturday.

The same lane closures will take place again Saturday, September 13, at 10 p.m. through 10 a.m., Sunday.

Drivers will notice a period when there is no activity while the lanes are closed while the concrete is curing. Drivers can expect heavy delays at times as only one lane will be open during work hours.

State Route 16 in Port Orchard

A major shift is ahead at the State Route 16 (SR 16) westbound/Sedgwick Road on-ramp, part of the Blackjack Creek Project. On Monday, September 15, traffic will shift to the new bridge at the on-ramp. Beforehand, WSDOT needs to close the Sedgwick Road on-ramp to complete the new roadway.

The closure begins Friday, September 12, at 6 p.m. and is scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m., Monday, with the new bridge shift. This work was originally scheduled for August and was postponed due to rain.

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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Starting Thursday at midnight, both directions of State Route 104 (SR 104)/Ballinger Way Northeast at 35th Avenue Northeast will close for at least 35 consecutive days. However, WSDOT warns us that this project could potentially stretch to 44 days. Multiple factors are at play, including the culvert installation and weather.

Fish passage project shuts down SR 104

During the closure, contractors will replace the existing six-foot-wide culvert that carries Lyon Creek beneath SR 104/Ballinger Way Northeast with a 24-foot-wide structure and make habitat improvements near the waterway. Crews will take advantage of this closure to finish sewer upgrades on adjacent local streets. This will eliminate the need for an additional closure at a later date.

Contractor crews working for WSDOT will close all travel lanes and sidewalks on SR 104 at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Signed detours will guide pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles around the work zone, which will be active 24 hours a day.

This project got underway in July, and this lengthy closure is the final stage. However, some pavement work and final striping could be pushed off until the spring of 2026, depending on weather conditions.

Once complete, the fish barrier removal project will open nearly 7.5 miles of potential upstream habitat to native and migrating fish, including Chinook, Coho, Steelhead, Sockeye, Sea-Run Cutthroat, and resident Trout.

The one-mile detour route is through a residential area, and drivers should plan on delays, especially if they are heading to the Edmonds ferry terminal. During this closure, drivers can expect added volumes on SR 522 as some commuters opt to avoid the detour route on SR 104/Ballinger Way Northeast.

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Positive feedback from passengers and employees has helped this trial policy move forward. This is welcome news for the 42% of Washington residents who own at least one dog, according to TotalVet.

During this trial, dogs must remain on leashes at all times. All other pets must stay in a crate or carrier. It is recommended that large dogs remain on the floor, while small dogs can be on someone’s lap or in a carrier. Owners must control their pets and clean up after them. Crew members may direct pets to be moved to an outside deck or vehicle if needed for safety or behavior reasons.

As always, service animals are welcomed everywhere, as required by state and federal law. Owners must keep their service animal under control, and the animal must be housebroken.

Employees are authorized to ask:

• If the animal is a service animal.
• If the service animal is required because of a disability.
• What task the animal is trained to perform.

If you have any questions about service animals, please contact the WSF ADA Accessibility Coordinator at (206) 515-3437 or wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov.

Existing pet policy

WSF is aware that it is impractical to require walk-on passengers and their leashed pets to remain on the auto deck for the duration of a voyage. To provide shelter to these patrons, walk-on passengers with leashed pets are permitted to board vessels and remain in exterior passenger areas, including shelter decks, promenade decks, and sun decks. The new policy, however, does allow for leashed dogs to stay in the interior cabin with owners.

Passengers with pets are allowed to board from inside the passenger terminal areas where overhead loading is in place:

• Bainbridge Island
• Bremerton
• Edmonds
• Kingston
• Seattle

At all other terminals, passengers with pets must board on the car deck and may gain access to exterior passenger spaces of the vessel via the interior cabin.

Walk-on passengers with pets who choose to remain on the auto deck must stay with the animal for the duration of the sailing and ensure it is properly restrained.

This trial policy, which is set to expire in February 2026, will help determine whether the new rules should become permanent. WSF encourages feedback.

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Grip as in better traction through the downtown tunnel.

Since opening in February 2019, the surface of the two-mile tunnel has worn down due to the 47,000 daily commuters, and WSDOT plans to add texture to the pavement. The $1.5 million project will restore the tire grip to its original form, as it was when the road opened more than six years ago.

A technique called shot-blasting will add traction through high-velocity particle grains. Trucks will tow machines that blast the grains and vacuum any dust created during the process, ensuring that the tunnels’ air filtration systems and storm drains do not clog.

Work begins Monday night

Work begins with the closure of all northbound SR 99 lanes on Monday night, August 18. From 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. nightly for up to five nights, all northbound SR 99 traffic will need to exit onto S. Dearborn Street. The Colorado Avenue S. on-ramp to northbound SR 99 will close an hour earlier each night at 10 p.m.

Once crews finish texturing northbound lanes, they will switch and close the southbound tunnel for up to five nights. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, all southbound SR 99 traffic must exit at the Denny Way off-ramp. The Sixth Avenue S. on-ramp to southbound SR 99 will close at the same time.

On game nights, closures will not begin until two hours after the last pitch for Seattle Mariners games at T-Mobile Park or the completion of Seattle Reign and Sounders games at Lumen Field.

Detours will direct drivers to city surface streets, or they can opt to travel on Interstate 5 (I-5) during these overnight closures. This entire shot-blasting project should wrap up by Labor Day Weekend.

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The closure was on northbound I-5, but the ripple effect stretched well beyond the city’s borders. To make up for the lane closures, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) kept the northbound express lanes open 24/7.

This did alleviate congestion for drivers coming into Seattle from the south; however, drivers from the north no longer had access to the express lanes. This created 13-mile backups during the morning commutes, and Interstate 405 (I-405) saw comparable backups as drivers sought an alternate route.

Closures on the horizon

The good news is, starting Monday, those days are behind us. The bad news is WSDOT needs to shut down all northbound lanes of I-5 through downtown Seattle in order to wrap up this phase of Revive I-5.

Friday at midnight, WSDOT will shut down northbound I-5 between Interstate 90 (I-90) and the Ship Canal Bridge, along with several on/off ramps along this stretch. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday.

During the weekend closure, the express lanes will remain open northbound.

All on- and off-ramps to and from the mainline northbound I-5 north of the express lanes entrance to Northeast 45th Street will close during the evening Friday, and remain closed until 5 a.m. Monday.

On-ramp closures include:

9 p.m.

• Dearborn Street, Cherry Street, and University Street

10 p.m.

• Westbound I-90, Olive Way, and Mercer Street
• Westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Roanoke Street

11 p.m.

• Eastbound I-90, westbound SR 520, and Harvard Avenue East

SR 18 full closure

State Route 18 (SR 18) from I-90 to Issaquah-Hobart Road will close in both directions for maintenance, repairs, and improvements this weekend. No eastbound or westbound SR 18 traffic will be allowed over Tiger Mountain from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. Only local traffic to Southeast 104th Street will be permitted south of I-90 during the closure.

Freight traffic should use I-405 and I-90 throughout the weekend. Issaquah-Hobart Road and Issaquah city streets are not suitable for semi-trucks.

Crews will focus on the new SR 18 lanes between Lake Creek and Deep Creek. Heavy rainfall forecasted over the weekend will limit the workload.

The list of crew maintenance and repairs includes:

• Milling and grinding asphalt
• Installing nearly 1,800 linear feet of guardrail
• Landscaping, including mulching and hydroseeding
• Installing and extending electrical conduit and junction boxes
• Installing and extending storm pipe
• Installing bridge railing on the Lake Creek Bridge
• Installing a permanent barrier
• Replacing temporary signs from the eastbound I-90 off-ramp with larger, permanent signs

Maintenance crews will also use the closure to perform annual work on SR 18 over Tiger Mountain, including pavement and guardrail repairs, improving sign visibility, vegetation work, and safety checks.

Westbound SR 18 closures in Auburn

WSDOT crews are replacing westbound SR 18 expansion joints on the C Street Southwest bridge as part of a pavement repair project. Here are the closure details:

• From 11 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Sunday, the right lane of westbound SR 18 will close between M and C Streets Southeast. The Auburn Way South on-ramp to westbound SR 18 will close at the same time. A signed detour for the ramp closure will use city streets to the C Street Southwest on-ramp to westbound SR 18.
• From 2 a.m. Sunday, to 5 a.m. Monday, westbound SR 18 will close at Auburn Way South. All westbound vehicles will exit at the Auburn Way South off-ramp and use the on-ramp to return to westbound SR 18. Police officers will direct people through the intersection between the on- and off-ramps.

Eastbound SR 18 through Auburn will remain open. People should expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

Interstate-5 in Fife

Starting Saturday, Aug. 16-23, contractor crews working for WSDOT will repave all lanes of northbound I-5 from just south of Wapato Way to just north of two new bridges on I-5. After northbound lanes are repaved, crews will repave southbound I-5 through the same area at a later date.

To repave the freeway, crews will close four out of five northbound lanes nightly between 54th Avenue E. in Fife and Porter Way in Milton.

Here is this weekend’s schedule:

Saturday to Sunday morning

• Lanes begin closing at 7 p.m., with four lanes closed by 11:30 p.m. One lane remains open.
• Lanes begin reopening at 7 a.m. with all lanes open by 11 a.m.
• The 54th Avenue East on-ramp to northbound I-5 will be closed overnight from 9:30 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Rolling slowdowns will occur from 11:59 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Sunday to Monday morning

• Lanes begin closing at 7 p.m., with four lanes closed by 11:30 p.m. One lane remains open.
• Lanes begin reopening at 7 a.m. with all lanes open by 11 a.m.

This project is weather-dependent and may be postponed if heavy rain persists.

State Route 509 in Burien

Roundabout construction continues at the South 160th Street and SR 509 interchange in Burien. This is the second of three consecutive weekend-long closures.

These weekend-long closures will allow crews to continue building two new roundabouts at the South 160th Street and SR 509 interchange.

This work is part of the SR 509 Completion Project.

5 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday

• South 160th Street will close in both directions between Ambaum Cut Off South and 5th Place S.
• The South 160th Street on-ramp to northbound SR 509 will close.
• The northbound SR 509 exit to South 160th Street will close.

Detour routes will include First Avenue South, Des Moines Memorial Drive S., S. 188th, and S. 148th streets. The southbound SR 509 off-ramp to westbound South 160th Street will remain open.

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Chief Darrel Lowe was quick to assure residents that these cameras are not intended to invade anyone’s privacy.

“It’s important to note that these technologies are not intended for general surveillance,” Lowe said. “We use them solely to track vehicles involved in crimes or emergencies, ensuring that privacy and individual rights are always respected.”

Strict safeguards embedded with ALPR technology:

• Equipment is only in public areas.
• No facial recognition or random surveillance.
• Data accessed is restricted to authorized personnel.
• All use of the system is logged and audited.
• Data from vehicles without an alert tag is neither retained nor stored.

Redmond Police said that the ALPR system enhances the department’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to crimes, missing persons, and public safety threats. These cameras automatically alert officers and analysts when a vehicle is linked to a crime, a missing person, a stolen vehicle, or any other critical incident. Before any action is taken, every alert is verified and confirmed to ensure the information is accurate and valid.

“We are committed to transparency and accountability,” Lowe said. “We encourage residents to stay informed and engaged as we continue conversations around technology, safety, and trust.”

The department encourages residents to contact them with any questions or comments about the ALPRs or any other public safety initiatives.

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A lot of work has been accomplished, and crews seem to be on pace to complete this section by Aug. 15, as projected.

So far, WSDOT contractors have removed the driving surface on about 900 feet of the two left lanes. They’ve also replaced the left half of five expansion joints and about 60 drains on the bridge.

The next two weeks will bring more repaving and drainage work.

Revive I-5 continues

On Friday, Aug. 15, all northbound lanes on I-5 will start closing around 9:30 p.m., leading up to the full closure. The mainline I-5 lanes will close near I-90 just before midnight. Drivers going downtown will need to exit at the Edgar Martinez Drive, Dearborn, James, or Madison streets exits.

People going north of downtown will be able to use the express lanes, which have remained open northbound since the beginning of this project. During the weekend-long closure that begins late on Aug. 15, the Columbia/Cherry on-ramp to the express lanes will be open to all drivers. Until early on Saturday, Aug. 16, that ramp remains HOV only.

Monday, Aug. 18, all northbound lanes on I-5 will reopen and remain free of closures until winter of 2026. That is when WSDOT will start this project again, this time blocking two right lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seattle next summer, Revive I-5 will pause for a few weeks so all lanes on I-5 will be accessible when an estimated 500,000 fans from across the globe convene in Seattle.

In mid-July of 2026, after the World Cup, WSDOT will continue Revive I-5 where they left off, closing two right lanes on the Ship Canal Bridge through the fall. In 2027, get ready for this project to shift to the southbound lanes starting with the closure of two left lanes in winter and summer, followed by two right lane closures through the fall.

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This weekend, July 25-27, is the 40th annual Bite of Seattle at the Seattle Center. Over the years, attendance numbers have averaged near 355,000, with the highest recorded number at 406,000 visitors in 2006.

That’s an average of 120,000 daily visitors making the trek to Seattle during the three-day event, and that means a lot of traffic. Add to this, Revive I5 continues to block 2 northbound lanes of I-5 across the Ship Canal Bridge.

This, in itself, has proven to be more traffic than Seattle can handle, with daily backups taking drivers 40 minutes to drive 4 miles through downtown Seattle from the south. Drivers from the north have been dealt with nightmarish backups stretching 12 miles and adding over an hour to their commute.

Combine Revive I-5 with the Bite of Seattle and Seattle traffic — this weekend is going to bite.

Consider carpooling or riding public transportation. Sound Transit’s 1-Line is a good option, with easy access at Westlake Station to the Seattle Monorail that takes you directly to the Seattle Center.

Traffic outside of Seattle

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is keeping busy this weekend by shutting down 2 major highways and a section of I-5.

State Route 167

All southbound lanes on SR 167 in Kent will be closed from SR 516/Willis Street and South 277th Street from 11:59 p.m., Friday, July 25 to 4 a.m. Monday, July 28. A signed detour route will be in place.

The following on- and off-ramps will be closed:

• Willis Street on-ramp to southbound SR 167.
• Southbound SR 167 off-ramp to South 277th Street.

Contractor crews working for WSDOT will replace bridge joints and resurface the Green River Bridge as part of the SR 167 Corridor Improvements Project.

State Route 18

In Auburn, all lanes on eastbound State Route 18 will close between C Street Southwest and Auburn Way South from 9 p.m., Friday, July 25, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 28, while crews perform paving work. Both the C Street Southwest on-ramp to SR 18 and the SR 18 off-ramp to Auburn Way South will be closed during this work.

I-5

In Pierce County, all northbound lanes on I-5 approaching DuPont will close over two nights at Steilacoom-DuPont Road. Workers will remove temporary structures used to build the new overpass. Travelers will detour up and over the Steilacoom-DuPont Road off- and on-ramps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. overnight Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26.

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“Saturday evening in Everett, the contractors are going to start shutting down up to four left lanes to begin the grinding part of this repavement project,” WSDOT spokesperson Della Kostelnik Juarez said. “The lanes are going to start shutting down at 7 p.m. (and) reopen at 9 a.m. on Sunday, close again at 7 p.m. Sunday and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, there will be no work on Monday (evening).”

The work starts on southbound I-5 between 41st Street and 100th Street Southeast, near the Everett Mall. Once contractors complete work in the southbound lanes, they will repave the same section in the northbound lanes of I-5.

The schedule throughout the 14-week project includes closures:

• From 7 p.m. Saturday, July 19 to 9 a.m. Sunday, July 20.
• From 7 p.m. Sunday, July 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 21.
• From 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Tuesday, July 22 to Friday morning, July 25.

WSDOT will inform us if there are any changes.

The Broadway HOV on-ramp to southbound I-5 will also close during the roadwork, but the general purpose on-ramp from Broadway will remain open. Some of this work needs dry weather and may need to be rescheduled.

The Everett pavement project will repave 4 miles on I-5

This pavement repair project will repave approximately 4 miles of southbound I-5 in Everett and is expected to finish later this fall.

Motorcyclists should watch for grooved, uneven pavement and use extreme caution.

“We really encourage people to look at our travel page and look at our travel map to see what is going to be open and closed,” Juarez added.

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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is closing the eastbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard.

WSDOT crews will work on the piles installed in Portage Bay near the off-ramp until 6 a.m. on Friday.

If drivers hop onto SR 520 during this closure, they won’t be able to exit until they reach the Eastside.

That means they would have to pay the bridge toll.

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WSDOT initially planned to have Southbound SR 167 in Kent, between Willis and 277th Street, shut down from 12 a.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday before deciding against it Thursday afternoon for an undisclosed reason.

“We worked with our contractor to see if they had some flexibility to kind of lessen the regional impacts with all the work that’s going on this weekend, and they had that available to do that,” Craig Smiley, construction communications manager for WSDOT, told KIRO Newsradio.

The closure was part of the widening and express toll lane expansion project WSDOT is currently undertaking. WSDOT has yet to confirm a rescheduling date for the closure, but it will likely happen toward the end of July or early August.

“Just need to kind of see how some other work shakes out,” Smiley added.

Other highway closures this weekend

Southbound I-5 will be closed at Stewart Street under the Convention Center from 11 p.m. Friday night. This closure lasts until 6 a.m. The express lanes will remain open in the southbound direction. This closure will likely have the least amount of impact.

Southbound I-405 will be closed through Kirkland from 11 p.m. Friday night through 4 a.m. Monday. The closure extends from 124th Street in Totem Lake to 70th Place.

Northbound SR 405 will be closed in Renton from 11:59 p.m. Friday night through 4 a.m. Monday. This closure is at the SR 169 interchange and Sunset Boulevard.

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

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Bellevue’s Transportation Department is downsizing speeds in line with its Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2030.

Almost 90% of fatalities and serious injuries in the Bellevue area happen where speed limits are 30 mph or above.

Bellevue reducing speeds in 4 areas

This summer, staff will study the impact of lowering speeds near the Factoria Mall, Microsoft Campus, a portion of Northup Way, and Village Park Drive. By the end of the month, speeds will drop by 5 to 10 miles per hour at these four locations.

More specifically, portions of 124th Avenue Southeast/Southeast 38th Street and Northup Way, from Bellevue Way to 120th Avenue Northeast, will be reduced from 35 to 25 mph. The speed limit on Village Park Drive and a portion of Northeast 40th Street will be reduced from 35 to 30 mph.

Their proximity to schools, busy bike lanes, and a busy residential area were deciding factors. Staff will study the impact and use that data for future phases of this project.

The next step includes reviewing speed limits on all streets in Bellevue with a speed limit of 30 mph or more.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

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Road work in western Washington this week

State Route 509 at Port of Tacoma

Monday, July 7 at 7 p.m., crews will remove the center left turn lanes at the intersection of Alexander Avenue East between northbound and southbound State Route (SR) 509 in Tacoma. Drivers can still make left turns onto SR 509 from the left-through lanes.

Additionally, Alexander Avenue East between 12th Street East and northbound SR 509 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction, with access to right turns. The lane reduction will remain in place for approximately one year while crews rebuild the intersection.

This work is part of the SR 167 Completion Project. Once complete, this will add six new miles of tolled highway between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma and build sidewalks and shared-use paths for non-motorized travelers. Completing this unfinished highway will greatly benefit the movement of freight, improve safety, and reduce congestion on local roads and highways in the surrounding area, according to WSDOT.

I-5, SR 516, SR 509 at SeaTac

WSDOT has scheduled lane and ramp closures on I-5, SR 516, and local roads in Des Moines, SeaTac, and Kent starting Monday, July 7, through the morning of Friday, July 11.

The lane and ramp closures on I-5 will allow contractor crews to stripe the roadway. The lane and ramp closures on SR 516 will allow crews to perform work in the median of the roadway. Local road closures will allow crews to install new roadway signs.

This work is part of the SR 509 Completion Project.

I-5 lane closure information

Monday, June 7, through the morning of Tuesday, July 8:

• 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. – Up to three lanes of northbound I-5 will close overnight between SR 516 (Exit 149) and South 200th Street/Military Road South (Exit 151).

Monday, July 7, through the morning of Friday, July 11:

• 11:59 p.m. to 4 a.m. – Up to four lanes of northbound I-5 will close nightly between SR 516 (Exit 149) and South 200th Street/Military Road South (Exit 151).

I-5 ramp closure information

Monday, July 7, through the morning of Friday, July 11:

• 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. – The northbound I-5 exit to SR 516 will close nightly. A signed detour will be in place.

Monday, July 7, through the morning of Tuesday, July 8:

• 9:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. – The southbound I-5 exit to SR 516 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

SR 516 ramp closure information

Monday, July 7, through the morning of Tuesday, July 8:

• 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. – The westbound SR 516 ramp to northbound I-5 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

Tuesday, July 8, through the morning of Thursday, July 10:

• 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – The eastbound SR 516 ramp to northbound I-5 will close nightly. A signed detour will be in place.
• 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – The SR 516 ramp to southbound I-5 will close nightly. A signed detour will be in place.

Saturday, July 12, through the morning of Sunday, July 13:

• 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – The SR 516 ramp to southbound I-5 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

509 ramp closure information

Tuesday, July 8, through the morning of Friday, July 11:

• 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – The eastbound South 188th ramp to northbound SR 509 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.
• 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. – The westbound South 188th ramp to northbound SR 509 will close overnight. A signed detour will be in place.

Local road closure information

Monday, July 7, through Friday, July 11:

• 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. – Westbound Veterans Drive will close nightly at Military Road South. A signed detour will be in place.

Coming up: I-90/SR 18

the Interstate 90/State Route 18 Interchange Improvements project will resume this month, according to WSDOT.

This will be the second around-the-clock, extended closure of SR 18 under the I-90 bridges to build the northern end of the diverging diamond interchange.

The expanded closure will be a lot like the five-day closure that WSDOT did in early June to build the southern end of the diverging diamond interchange. A lot of work is involved during these closures, including installing drainage and conduit, installing and synchronizing traffic signals, installing new traffic cameras, constructing traffic curbs, and pouring new median islands.

WSDOT will announce the closure dates and detours soon. Once this second closure is done, the roadway will reopen in the diverging diamond traffic pattern.

Ship Canal Bridge

Revive I-5 over Seattle’s Ship Canal Bridge resumes July 18, with a full closure on north I-5 between I-90 and Northeast 45th Street. During this closure, the express lanes will remain open 24/7 in the northbound direction.

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The highway speed camera project began in April, along two stretches of state highways that are notorious for high-speed violations. In Skagit County, it was a 4.5-mile stretch on I-5 south between Bow Hill and Cook Roads. In Spokane County, it was a 3.5-mile stretch on I-90 east between Liberty Lake and the State Line.

Hundreds of cars clocked going 100 mph+ in highway speed camera pilot program

In both locations, there were signs placed well ahead of the cameras warning drivers to slow down and that their speeds were being recorded. However, WSDOT clocked 161 vehicles topping 100 mph in Skagit County and 116 in Spokane County during the pilot program.

The 2-month campaign wrapped up this past week. Kyle Miller, with WSDOT, shared some of the findings with KIRO Newsradio.

“We just took the cameras off the roads, so we haven’t had a chance to fully analyze the data yet,” he shared.

However, Miller said WSDOT sent out around 16,000 courtesy notices asking people to slow down when they were caught speeding on the road.

“Once the signs went up, we noticed that speeding went down. So that was great news,” he said.

What were the recorded speed reductions?

“I haven’t really dove in with my team yet to see exactly what these outcomes were. Just looking at the data at a high level, I could see a drop, but to what percentage, or to what speeds, that’s still further down the road that we’re going to be working on,” Miller replied.

Goal of highway speed camera program is to remind drivers to slow down

That was the goal with this pilot program: slowing drivers down and reminding them to follow the posted speed limits or risk future infractions. The state never planned to issue speeding tickets during this period.

In 2024, 728 people were killed on Washington roadways. While that number dropped slightly from 2023, it’s still far above pre-pandemic averages.

The cameras identified several instances of excessive speeds, with 277 notices for vehicles averaging 100 mph or more through the three-mile monitoring areas. On state highways alone, there were 368 fatal or serious injury collisions in 2024 where speeding was cited as a factor, and that does not include local roadway crashes.

Last year, speeding was a factor in 34% of fatal crashes, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

“When you drive at safe speeds, you’re protecting families, neighbors, and the people working to maintain our roads,” Washington Traffic Safety Commission Program Manager Dr. Janine Koffel said.

The program was paid for with $1 million from the legislature. People can learn more about the cameras at an online open house and share feedback. WSDOT will now analyze the data from the cameras, review public feedback, and report back to the legislature. A preliminary report will be ready in early July, and a final report this fall.

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