Date:
Monday, August 14, 2006
Contact:
Doug Haight, Project Engineer, (425) 649-4429 (Bellevue)
Myly Posse, WSDOT Communications, (206) 437-6314 (Seattle)
KIRKLAND – At 11:03 p.m. tonight, the Washington State Department of Transportation reopened all lanes on southbound I-405 in Kirkland. Two lanes were closed around-the-clock beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11. These lanes were originally scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday. But as work to rebuild the freeway progressed with seamless precision, crews were able to reopen them well in advance of the morning commute.
“Everything went exceedingly well; there were no soft spots under the roadway, no equipment malfunction. This allowed the contractor to proceed very quickly,” stated WSDOT Project Engineer Doug Haight. “The contractor’s crews worked through the night to get the job done and traffic moving again,” he said.
Traffic conditions were not as favorable throughout the weekend as WSDOT engineers hoped for. Drivers saw a minimum of 2.5-mile backups and delays between 11 and 22 minutes through the construction area. WSDOT thanks drivers for their patience during the backups, and their help in keeping the congestion from extending well past the work zone.
“It could have been much worse if drivers didn’t help us out. The backup stopped around NE160th. This shows that people took alternate routes and kept delays from becoming excessive,” said Haight.
The lane closures were necessary to shift drains and rebuild the freeway. This will allow rainwater to drain properly from the roadway when the new median HOV ramps open this fall. The work is associated with Sound Transit’s Totem Lake Freeway Station Project, designed and built by WSDOT. New ramps in the I-405 median will allow buses, vanpools and carpools to enter and exit the freeway without merging through three lanes of traffic, easing congestion and enhancing safety for all drivers. The NE 128th Street bridge will provide a new east-west route across I-405 for all drivers. The new ramps and bridge are scheduled to open this fall and are expected to carry more than 100 daily bus trips. This project complements WSDOT’s broader plan for improvements along the I-405 corridor. For more information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/I405/TotemLake.
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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 call 1-800-833-6388.
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