Date:
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Contact:
Kris Olsen, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4475
What’s happening in the next 24 hours: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Construction/2010/today.htm
SEATTLE – Drivers should plan ahead this weekend as Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews close I-5 in Seattle and I-90 between Seattle and Mercer Island at night. During the closures, maintenance crews will test the fire suppression system along I-5 beneath the Washington State Convention Center and inspect sign bridges over I-90.
I-5
Crews will close all lanes of southbound I-5 from 11:30 p.m., Friday, July 30, to 4 a.m., Saturday, July 31, to test the fire suppression system under the convention center. The on-ramps from Howell/Yale Street and Mercer Street to southbound I-5 will also close.
Drivers will be detoured off I-5 at Stewart Street and re-enter I-5 south of the convention center.
The I-5 express lanes will open in the southbound direction at 11:30 p.m., Friday. They will remain southbound until noon Saturday.
I-90
Crews will close eastbound I-90 on Saturday, July 31, and westbound I-90 on Sunday, Aug. 1, between Rainier Avenue and East Mercer Way, to inspect more than a dozen sign bridges.
- Saturday, July 31 - Crews will close the eastbound I-90 mainline from 12:01 a.m to 10 a.m. Saturday between Rainier Avenue and East Mercer Way, as well as the Rainier Avenue and Island Crest Way on-ramps to eastbound I-90. All drivers will be diverted onto the express lanes.
- Sunday, Aug. 1 – Crews will close the westbound I-90 mainline from 12:01 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday between East Mercer Way and Rainier Avenue. All drivers will be diverted onto the express lanes. The Island Crest Way and 77th Ave. SE ramps to the express lanes will remain open; all other westbound ramps on Mercer Island will close.
The full closures are needed so crews can maneuver large pieces of equipment across the roadway and access all sections of the sign bridges. Crews will also perform other maintenance and safety tasks.
WSDOT planned these closures to occur overnight to help keep drivers moving during the day. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead for these closures. WSDOT has several tools drivers can use.
WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news
for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.
< Go Back