Driving anywhere this weekend? Maybe don’t: WSDOT Traffic Advisory for June 24-26

June 24, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Presidential motorcade and special events traffic this weekend, June 24-26
You may want to factor in some extra travel time if you’ll be hitting the roads this weekend. President Obama is scheduled to be in the Puget Sound area Friday afternoon, June 24, through Saturday, June 25. As with all visits by heads of state, drivers can expect significant delays and closures on state highways and surrounding streets. The Secret Service doesn’t release information about travel plans much ahead of time so your best bet is to stay connected with local media and follow @wsdot_traffic on Twitter. We’re limited in the amount of information we can put out but we’ll do the best we can to let drivers know what is closed and where to avoid.

There will also be several large special events this weekend, some with road closures:

Friday, June 24

  • Seattle Mariners vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field

Saturday, June 25

  • Greenwood Car Show, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Greenwood Avenue North
  • Seattle Sounders FC vs. New York City FC, 2 p.m., CenturyLink Field
  • Seattle Mariners vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field

Sunday, June 26

  • Seattle Pride Parade, 11 a.m., Denny Way and 4th Avenue
  • Seattle PrideFest, noon to 8 p.m., Seattle Center
  • Seattle Mariners vs. St. Louis Cardinals, 1:10 p.m., Safeco Field

Full closure of MLK Jr. Way South/SR 900 in Tukwila this weekend, June 24-27
But wait, there’s more! Don’t forget that both directions of Martin Luther King Junior Way South/SR 900 between I-5 and South 129th Street will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, June 24, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 27. The southbound I-5 off-ramp to MLK Jr. Way South/SR 900 will also be closed. Drivers will follow a signed detour. Crews will be replacing more than 1,500 feet of the road with a new gravel base and brand new asphalt. There will also be overnight directional closures in the same area through early next week. We’ve got the details on our King County Construction page. Check out the detour routes if you need to get in or out of the area.

Eastbound I-90 off-ramps in Bellevue closed again this weekend, June 25-26
Just like two weekends ago, the eastbound I-90 general purpose and HOV off-ramps to Bellevue Way Southeast will be closed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, for Puget Sound Energy work. One lane in both directions of Bellevue Way Southeast at I-90 will also be closed. A signed detour will be in place. Drivers should plan ahead for a third weekend of these same closures July 9-10.

Construction and increased traffic equals delays on I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass
We’re in the middle of one of the busiest construction seasons on I-90 with close to a dozen work zones from the summit of Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage. Due to a number of events taking place in eastern Washington this weekend, June 24-27, drivers are encouraged to either get to their destinations early, wait to go later, or use an alternate route.

  • Starting today, June 23, drivers will see delays in both directions near the Cle Elum area (mileposts 84 to 93) due to a paving project. Drivers are encouraged to use an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10.
  • The Vantage Bridge is still down to a single lane eastbound due to a painting project. Drivers headed east will experience heavy congestion and stop and go traffic between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and should consider taking an alternate route via US 97, I-82 or SR 24.
  • Rock blasting is scheduled to close I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass in both directions from mileposts 56 to 62 for an hour at 8 p.m. tonight, June 23.

More overnight ramp closures at the I-5/I-90 interchange in Seattle
For the past few weeks, contractor crews with the I-90 Two-Way Transit and HOV Operations project have been retrofitting the pavement on ramps at the I-5/I-90 interchange in Seattle. They’re nearly complete, but need a few more closures next week. The southbound I-5 ramp to eastbound I-90 will be closed from 11 tonight to 5 a.m. tomorrow, and again overnight Monday through Wednesday next week. The westbound I-90 ramp to northbound I-5 will be closed from 10 p.m. Monday, June 27, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 28. A signed detour will be in place. Stay updated by checking our I-90 & SR 520 page.

Two weeks to start of SB I-5 weekend lane reductions, #SouthKingSlowdown
We’re just two weeks out from the first of five weekends of lane reductions on southbound I-5 near Southcenter. Starting at 8 p.m. Friday, July 8, we’re going to reduce the interstate from five lanes to two at 188th Street in SeaTac. That will last until 5 a.m. Monday. Traffic in the #SouthKingSlowdown is going to back up. How much? That depends on you, the driver. Learn more about the project, plan ahead and alternatives on our blog.
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Transit alert! Approximate two-week closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct starts April 29

April 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Beginning Friday, April 29, the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for approximately two weeks as a precautionary measure while Bertha, the SR 99 tunneling machine, travels beneath the structure. The viaduct will be closed between the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge. For the most up-to-date information, visit 99closure.org.

Make a travel plan and expect additional congestion throughout the region

This closure will disrupt local and regional traffic patterns. WSDOT is coordinating with other transportation agencies to keep people moving through a variety of measures, but is expecting the closure to increase traffic congestion regardless. We are asking travelers in Seattle and the surrounding region to plan ahead and consider adjusting their travel habits to help us keep people moving on highways and city streets. We recommend that you:

  • Allow plenty of extra travel time and expect rush hour congestion to start earlier and end later.
  • If possible, consider leaving early or delaying your trip to avoid traveling during peak times. Know before you go and check out the travel resources page so you can make informed travel choices during the closure.
  • Consider working from home if you can, to avoid commuting altogether.

Need help making a travel plan?
Take a look at this travel alternatives handout for a detailed list of resources and options for changing your commute.

Stay up-to-date
For the latest information regarding traffic conditions and tunneling progress:
*Bookmark the official 99closure.org website
*Check Twitter for major traffic and project alerts: @BerthaDigsSR99, @WSDOT_Traffic, @SeattleDOT, @KCMetroBus, @SoundTransit, @MyCommTrans, #99closure
*Contact us at viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov or 1-888-AWV-LINE (298-5463)

 

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WSDOT Traffic Alert – Busy Weekend ahead!

April 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Westbound SR 520 traffic to switch over to new bridge Monday, April 11
In four days, drivers going from Bellevue to Seattle will have a chance to be one of the first to navigate across the new SR 520 floating bridge! In order to switch westbound traffic to the new bridge, contractor crews will have to close both directions of SR 520 between Montlake Boulevard East/SR 513 and 92nd Avenue Northeast from 11 p.m. Friday, April 8, to 5 a.m. Monday, April 11. Eastbound traffic will switch over to the new bridge following another full weekend closure April 22-25.

Northbound SR 99 Aurora Bridge nightly lane closures begin next week Seattle’s SR 99 Aurora Bridge is in the midst of a makeover and crews will need some extra space on the right side of the northbound lanes to move the work platform as part of their bridge painting and preservation project. Expect up to two right lanes of the northbound direction of the bridge to be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, beginning Monday night, April 11, and continuing into the first part of May. No lane closures are allowed on Friday nights.

Gearing up for another round of the #SnoCoSqueeze Get ready for six more weekends of I-5 lane reductions between Everett and Marysville for expansion joint replacement work — this time in the northbound direction. When the weather allows crews to restripe overnight next week, northbound drivers will see three narrower lanes and a speed limit of 45 mph. The three lanes will be reduced to two lanes for five weekends beginning next weekend, April 15-18. Plan for extended delays and congestion once this northbound work begins. To avoid narrow or reduced lane traffic while you visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival – consider going this weekend. Even without daytime construction – expect high traffic volumes as you head into Mount Vernon and on Skagit County roads.

One week until full closure of SR 410 White River Bridge April 15-23
If you use SR 410 between Enumclaw and Buckley, you have one week to complete plans to navigate around a full closure of the White River Bridge. In order to repair damage the bridge suffered when it was struck by an over-height load in 2015, contractor crews will close the bridge at 10 p.m. Friday, April 15. They are scheduled to reopen the bridge by noon Saturday, April 23. During the closure, SR 410 will be closed to all but local traffic at 244th Avenue Southeast in Enumclaw and Park Avenue in Buckley. Drivers must use a detour route via SR 164, SR 18, SR 167 and SR 410 that takes approximately 45 minutes, depending on traffic. For safety reasons, there will be no pedestrian or bicycle access across the White River Bridge during the closure. Vehicles responding to emergencies will be allowed to cross at certain times.

Big events in Seattle this weekend, April 8-10
A weekend of good weather and great events in downtown Seattle is sure to cause some traffic headaches if you don’t plan ahead. We’ve got the: Emerald City Comicon going on at the Washington State Convention Center and the Mariners first home series of the season. If you’re heading into town, be aware that the I-5 express lanes HOV-only ramp to and from 5th Avenue/Columbia Street will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, for a Seattle DOT project. In addition, Stewart Street will be reduced to one lane near Denny Way from 7 p.m. Friday, April 8, to 6 a.m. Monday, April 11, for a Seattle City Light project. And for you ferry commuters, we’ve added extra service on our Seattle/Bremerton route Friday night.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7th – SUNDAY, APRIL 10th:
Emerald City Comicon: The comic book and pop culture convention at the Washington State Convention Center starts Thursday from 2p.m. to 7p.m. and runs through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. More than 80,000 people are expected attend throughout the weekend.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8th:
Seattle Mariners vs Oakland on Friday, April 8th at 7:10 p.m. About 46,000 people are expected to attend.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9th:
Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland on Saturday, April 9th at 6:10 p.m. About 32,000 people are expected to attend.

SUNDAY, APRIL 10th:
Walk MS/Run MS Seattle: The 5K run and 5 mile walk to support research and programs to end MS starts at the UW E1 parking lot, follows the Burke Gilman Trail to Gasworks Park and returns to the UW via N. Northlake Way and the Burke Gilman Trail.  About 4,000 people are expected to participate.

Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland, Sunday, April 10th at 1:10 p.m. About 36,000 people are expected to attend.
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WSDOT Alert: Two-week SR 99 closure coming in Spring 2016

March 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Some commutes may be affected as WSDOT prepares to close SR 99 from the Battery Street Tunnel south to the West Seattle Bridge. The closure is projected to occur in March 2016, but the date may change. Please read this flier regarding the SR 99 closure for more information.

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