Date:
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Contact:
Jamie Holter, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4472 (Seattle)
SEATTLE – It’s shaping up to be an exceptionally busy couple of weeks on Puget Sound highways. Please take the time to look at these construction briefs and check out the project Web pages or our frequently-updated construction report at www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/northwest/construction/update/
New This Week
SR 520, Floating Bridge
WSDOT bridge engineers will close both directions of the floating bridge at 11 p.m. Friday, June 16 through 5 a.m. Monday, June 19 for annual maintenance work. Drivers must take alternate routes. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/bridges/sr520/
SR 99, Viaduct, downtown Seattle
The Viaduct will close for the Race for the Cure foot race Saturday, June 17 from 7 a.m. to noon.
Mariners Baseball, Seattle
The Seattle Mariners will play at Safeco Field on June 17 at 7:05 p.m. and June 18 at 1:05 p.m.
Fremont Street Fair
Drivers should expect significant congestion June 17 and 18 in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. Drivers hoping to avoid congestion on I-5 or the Viaduct on Saturday morning should NOT take Fremont Avenue as an alternate route.
I-405, Kirkland
Contractors will close all southbound lanes at NE 124th Street each night from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. June 19 – 22 to set girders for the new NE 128th Street bridge at Totem Lake
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/TotemLake/construction.htm
SR 9, South Snohomish County
All lanes of north and southbound SR 9 between SR 524 (Maltby Road/212th Street) and SR 522 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, June 23 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 26 to take out a sewer line. THIS CLOSURE WAS PUSHED BACK A WEEK. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR9/sr522_212thst/
I-90, Snoqualmie Pass
WSDOT engineers will hold an open house at the Summit Inn at Snoqualmie Pass 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 20. Transportation Secretary Doug MacDonald will announce the preferred alternative for widening and improving safety on I-90 between Hyak and Keechelus Lake. WSDOT will conduct a simultaneous web-based "virtual open house" starting at 5:30 p.m. Access to the virtual open house is available on WSDOT's main website, www.wsdot.wa.gov, as well as the the project web page www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/SnoqualmiePassEast.
Significant Closures This Week
Fremont Bridge, Seattle
The Seattle Department of Transportation has closed two lanes on the Fremont Bridge. Two lanes remain open, but congestion has been significant in the Fremont neighborhood.
www.cityofseattle.net/news/detail.asp?ID=6155&Dept=19
A Look Ahead
Downtown Seattle
Expect significant traffic in downtown Seattle during the Seattle Pride Festival June 24 and June 25 at Seattle Center and on Capitol Hill.
I-5, Everett
WSDOT opens the new right-hand exit to Broadway Avenue on June 27. Crews will close the left-hand exit to Broadway Avenue. Drivers must pay very special attention to this change. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/HOVSR526toUS2/
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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Drivers can now get real time traffic and weather information by dialing 5-1-1 from most phones. This new traveler information system builds upon the highly successful Washington State Highway hotline that managed 4.6 million calls each year. Callers can also use 5-1-1 to get statewide construction, mountain pass condition, and state ferry system information, as well as toll free numbers for passenger rail and airlines. TTY users can
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