Date:
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Contact:
Jamie Holter, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4472 (Seattle)
New this week
US / Canada Border
WSDOT will install 10 new cameras and traffic detecting equipment at Blaine, Lynden and Sumas, three of Whatcom County's four busy border crossings. Crews started construction today, Thursday, June 21, and will finish in September 2007. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/Baker/
SR 520, Bellevue
WSDOT crews will close one to two lanes of westbound SR 520 from 76th Avenue NE to Bellevue Way NE from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights. Crews will close the HOV lane at 7 p.m. and may close an additional westbound lane beginning at 11 p.m. In the eastbound direction, drivers should expect single lane closures between 11 p.m and 5 a.m. the following day.
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520/EastsideQuiet
I-5, Everett
WSDOT contractors will close the 41st Street SE on-ramp to northbound I-5 from 10 p.m. Friday, June 22 through 5 a.m. Monday, June 25 to pour concrete. A signed detour is in place. This paving is an important step toward opening a new northbound auxiliary lane between 41st Street and US 2, currently scheduled for late July. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/HOVSR526toUS2/
I-405, Kirkland
Work in Kirkland has been rescheduled after a work zone fatality at NE 116th Street Friday morning. Crews will determine Monday when they will schedule the weekend work. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/KirklandNickelStage1/
I-90, Snoqualmie Pass
Drivers across the pass may notice helicopters hovering near Keechelus Lake this week as contractors take core samples for the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass east widening work. This may be a distraction, but no lanes will be closed. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/SnoqualmiePassEast
US 2, West of Stevens Pass
Monday through Thursday, drivers can expect lane shifts where crews have begun an eight mile paving project from Deception Creek to the Stevens Pass summit. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US2/WStevensPaving/
Work continues this week
SR 522, Kenmore
The city of Kenmore is working on SR 522 between 73rd and 83rd avenues NE. Work will take place during the day and at night. Drivers should expect delays. www.kenmoresr522.com/
What’s next?
SR 9, Snohomish County
Contractors are preparing for a full, four-week closure of Lauck Road/108th Street SE just west of SR 9 starting in early July. Detours will be in place. Drivers are asked to plan ahead. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR9/108thNE_Lauck/
I-405, South Bellevue
Drivers in the South Bellevue area will notice heavy equipment moving into the area as crews begin work on July 9 to widen I-405 between 112th Avenue to SE 8th Street.
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/112thAvetoSE8th/
SR 167, Renton
Crews will begin striping northbound SR 167 with HOV diamonds the week of July 9. WSP patrol will NOT enforce the HOV lanes on SR 167 between 15th Street NW and 15th Street SW until all the striping is finished and the signs are in place at the end of July. www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR167/HOV15thSW_15thNW/
SR 520 Floating Bridge
WSDOT bridge and maintenance crews will close the SR 520 floating bridge the weekend of July 14 and 15 for annual maintenance work and lay down a test section of quieter pavement. www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/bridges/sr520/
New Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Save the date! Three weeks from now, the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge hosts a public celebration. Everyone is invited to see the bridge five-years in the making. Mark your calendars for July 15. www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr16narrowsbridge/opening/default.cfm
I-5, downtown Seattle
The clock is ticking on major I-5 construction in downtown Seattle. WSDOT contractors will close multiple lanes on northbound I-5 between I-90 and Spokane Street around the clock between August 10 – 29. Crews have already begun preconstruction efforts. WSDOT is asking drivers to start preparing now: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/SpokaneStreetBridgeRepair/
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 http://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 several 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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