Date:  Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Contact: Steve Peer, WSDOT Communications, (425) 301-2023

Drivers should plan ahead and expect congestion throughout Puget Sound

www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2010/today.htm

RENTON – Crews will close all lanes of I-405 in both directions between SR 167 and Maple Valley Highway (SR 169) this weekend to remove the old Benson Road South Bridge. Drivers should expect delays on detour routes and plan ahead by leaving early or avoiding unnecessary trips this weekend.

WSDOT traffic engineers predict congestion on SR 167, SR 169, I-405, I-5 and I-90 as drivers use alternate routes to navigate around the closure.

Crews will close all lanes of I-405 between SR 167 and SR 169 at 2 a.m., Saturday, July 10. The road will reopen at 11 a.m. Sunday, July 11.

“We know this is an inconvenience to drivers, but we need all lanes closed to take down this bridge as safely and efficiently as possible,” said Eastside Corridor Director Kim Henry. “We’ve been dismantling the bridge all week from the inside out to get as much work done without closing the freeway, but at this point we have to bring in the removal equipment.”

During the 33-hour closure crews will remove the old bridge and replace damaged concrete panels, install signs, install sign bridges, work on storm drainage, clean up and safely reopen the freeway by Sunday before noon.

Traffic impacts

Drivers may not expect a closure in Renton to affect traffic north of Seattle, but it will. We expect this closure to affect all traffic on state highways in the greater Seattle and Bellevue areas including I-5, I-405, SR 167, I-90 and SR 520 as drivers use alternate routes to avoid the closure.

During the 33-hour closure, drivers can:

• Travel before 9 a.m. or after 10 p.m. on Saturday to avoid the worst congestion
• Plan extra time to get to their destination
• Check the WSDOT traffic page before they head out
• Plan ahead by checking travel times to your destination

To help manage traffic, WSDOT will:

• Deliver updated congestion and work progress information via the web, radio, TV news, Highway Advisory Radio, and the overhead electronic signs.
• Run the I-5 express lanes in the northbound direction and the I-90 express lanes in the westbound direction throughout the 33-hour closure.
• Provide a 24-hour informational hotline throughout the closure.

We anticipate heavy congestion on southbound I-5 between Shoreline and Seattle in the afternoon and early evening on Saturday as drivers head downtown for Mariners and the Sounders games because the southbound I-5 express lanes will not be available.

We expect to complete the work before the second Mariners game of the weekend on Sunday.

Milestones

This is another milestone in this Renton widening project. The work is part of the $83.7 million Renton Stage 2 construction project aimed at relieving traffic congestion on I-405 between Tukwila and Bellevue. Funded through gas taxes and federal funds, the project is expected to be complete the spring of 2011.

Earlier this year, crews finished work on the new Benson Road South Bridge. Last weekend, it opened to traffic. Now we are removing the old bridge to make way for an additional lane in each direction of I-405 in Renton and new on- and off ramps at Talbot Road.

For more information about the project, visit the project web page:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I405/SR515Interchange/default.htm

Updated construction information and detour maps can be found on our What’s Happening in Renton page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I405/SR515Interchange/Now.htm

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