Date:
Friday, May 19, 2006
Contact:
Jamie Holter, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4472 (Seattle)
SEATTLE – It’s shaping up to be another busy week on Puget Sound highways as WSDOT makes good on its promise to deliver projects during the 2006 construction season. Here are the highlights for the week of May 19 – 26.
New this week
I-5 North Seattle
Drivers will notice jersey barrier, barrels, and signs between NE 50th and NE 175th streets in North Seattle as crews prepare to start retrofitting seven bridges on I-5 to bring them up to current earthquake standards. Drivers will see significant HOV lane closures this summer. www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/I5/NSeattleBridge_Retrofit
Seattle
Mariners baseball games are scheduled between May 20 – 26. Check WSDOT traffic maps before you head downtown. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/
SR 513, SR 520, I-5, Seattle
Expect congestion in Seattle’s University district during the U. District Street Fair May 20-21. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/
All state highways
WSDOT crews and contractors will suspend most road construction work from noon, Friday, May 26 to noon, Tuesday, May 30 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
Complete this week
Drivers headed east across Snoqualmie Pass will notice a smoother ride over the Kachess River. Crews finished deck repairs a day early. www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/southcentral/
Significant closures this week
SR 161, Federal Way
Crews will pave both directions of SR 161 between I-5 and 28th Ave. South during the day May 20-26. This will NOT affect the Enchanted Village main gate. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR161/Jovita_S360th_Widen/
SR 167, Auburn
Drivers will notice many lane and ramp closures at night May 20–26 on the Valley Freeway as crews continue the HOV expansion project. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR167/HOV15thSW_15thNW/
I-5, Federal Way
Nighttime drivers of northbound I-5 through Federal Way will see three out of four lanes closed May 20-26 as we smooth the bumps out of the pavement. Drivers may experience delays at night.
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i5/hovPiercetoTukwila/I5HOV_Pierce_S320th/
A look ahead
I-405, Kirkland
WSDOT contractors will close all lanes of northbound I-405 in Kirkland at NE 124th Street from 10 p.m., Friday, June 2 through 5 a.m., Tuesday, June 6. Drivers will be detoured around the closure via a two-lane bypass next to the freeway. A major closure extending into Monday is unusual for WSDOT and the contractor has a financial incentive to finish early. We are committed to keeping drivers updated on our progress all weekend long and drivers can monitor our work by visiting our project web page at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I405/TotemLake/
SR 520, Seattle
Our bridge crews will close the SR 520 Floating Bridge Friday, June 16 through Monday morning, June 19 for the annual inspection. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/bridges/sr520/
What can drivers do?
We may sound like a broken record, but it is important that we remind drivers that there are many ways for them to get information and avoid traffic delays. Drivers should plan ahead, check our real-time traffic map and pay attention to the signs along the way. If you can, consider alternate routes or adjusting your driving schedule to avoid the worst traffic.
Know before you go: visit WSDOT’s Web site
WSDOT offers several ways to get up-to-date traffic and construction information from our Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov before you leave your home or office:
- Traffic map - The color-coded map shows where traffic is heavy and light so you can alter your commute accordingly
- Travel times - Real-time point-to-point travel times
- Traffic cameras - take a look at traffic conditions on a growing number of highway locations throughout the Puget Sound region
- E-mail alerts - Sign up for one of nine e-mail alert lists. You’ll get advance notice of upcoming construction closures delivered right to your inbox
- Construction update report - comprehensive, seven-day advance listing of lane, ramp and road closures
- Project pages -Find your highway and see the long and short-term construction plans
Know on the road
- 511 - This driver information phone line provides real-time traffic, incident and closure information
- Overhead and roadside electronic signs - Emergency and incident alerts and, in some Seattle-area locations during rush hours, point-to-point travel times
- Highway advisory radio - Yellow signs with flashing lights alert drivers to tune into radio frequencies airing construction updates
- Work zones - watch for construction zone signs, barrels, barriers and cones. Slow down and stay alert when driving through construction zones, not just for the construction workers, but also for you and your passengers. Far more motorists are injured in work zone collisions than construction workers.
WSDOT and our contractors are doing our part to stay out of your way and keep traffic moving. We do most of our work at night or on weekends when there are fewer drivers on the highway. We make every effort to limit lane closures and only close lanes when we absolutely have to. We also strive to get in, complete our work quickly, and get out, giving the roads back to drivers as quickly as possible.
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