Revive I-5 work along with southbound I-405 closure between Bellevue and Renton will make for busy travel weekend

SEATTLE – This Friday, Oct. 10, will be one for the books as University of Washington football, the Seattle Reign and Seattle Mariners host home games. Once those events wrap up, beginning at 11 p.m., contractor crews will begin reducing lanes for the entire weekend on southbound Interstate 5 over the Ship Canal Bridge. 

Around the same time, by 11:59 p.m. Friday, southbound I-405 will close between Bellevue and Renton. In addition, weekend lane and ramp closures are planned on I-90 and State Route 18. 

“We coordinate our work with the various teams and venues to ensure that most of the traffic can clear before the lane reductions go into effect,” said Washington State Department of Transportation Northwest Region Administrator Brian Nielsen. “Our season of warm dry weather in the Pacific Northwest is short. We have a lot of work to finish before the rainy fall and cold weather arrives and sometimes that means busy weekends like this one.”

As soon as the I-5 lane reductions are in place on Friday night, work will begin on the first of six weekends of Revive I-5: Ship Canal Bridge preservation drainage improvements. Throughout the weekend, crews will cut concrete and install new drainage structures on the bridge’s southbound lanes.

People traveling on southbound I-5 should expect delays near the lane reductions, which will be in place 24 hours a day from the Northeast 45th Street/Northeast 50th Street off-ramp to the SR 520 Interchange. The lanes will reopen to traffic by 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13. 

Express lanes operate southbound all weekend

People using northbound I-5 may also experience delays because the express lanes will operate southbound-only 24 hours a day during the weekend. While all southbound drivers may use the express lanes, people traveling still need to observe signage for HOV-only entrances and exits and be aware of vehicle height restrictions. 

I-405 closure 

Southbound I-405 will be closed from Coal Creek Parkway Southeast to Northeast 30th Street from 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 to 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13 to install drainage, pave and shift traffic to create a new center work zone as part of the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project. A signed detour route will be in place.

The I-405 closure will be rescheduled if the weather is too rainy or if the Mariners host another playoff game on Sunday, Oct. 12. These conditions do not apply to the Revive I-5 lane reductions this weekend. 

I-90 and SR 18 work 

Crews will continue multiple improvements in south and east King County as part of ongoing preservation and widening efforts. Travelers should plan for overnight and weekend lane closures and allow extra time through these work zones. 

• Westbound I-90 between mileposts 17 and 18 will have up to three right lanes and the Front Street on-ramp to westbound I-90 closed from 7 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Sunday for paving and expansion joint replacement work. A signed detour will guide people to the 270th Avenue Southeast/Southeast High Point Way on-ramp to westbound I-90.
• Crews will close the right lane of eastbound SR 18 between mileposts 6 and 7, as well as the Auburn-Black Diamond Road on- and off-ramps at 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The lane and ramps will reopen daily by 5 a.m. These closures are for paving and joint replacement work.

Stay informed

WSDOT encourages travelers to stay informed and plan ahead using real-time travel information from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT's email updates.