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Mercer Street Project is about to Reach a Major Milestone!

Crews working on the electrical duct bank on Westlake Avenue N.

The infamous “Mercer Mess” is shrinking and the new Mercer Street is taking shape.  Staying right on schedule, despite the need to keep traffic flowing in the construction zone,  the Mercer Corridor Project will reach a major milestone in January.  If you drive the corridor eastbound to take the Mercer Street ramps to I-5, you have probably noticed on the left, the new, future westbound lanes of Mercer Street forming on the north side of the existing Mercer Street between Fairview Avenue and Terry Avenue,  and at Ninth Avenue.  

The project team is currently working hard to complete the remaining underground utility work along the north side of Mercer Street at Westlake Avenue in order to complete the final paving and sidewalks along the stretch of Mercer between 9th Avenue and Terry Avenue.  Underground utility work in Westlake includes undergrounding of electrical distribution, transmission and communications lines, storm drainage, and water line replacement.  This work has been particularly challenging given that crews are installing some of these underground facilities underneath the Seattle Streetcar tracks.  All of this work is in preparation for the big “Mercer switch”, which is when eastbound Mercer Street traffic will switch to the new lanes on the north and we’ll close down the south side of the street in order to begin utility installation and reconstruction of existing Mercer Street. 

If all goes as planned, the switch is expected to happen on the weekend of January 6 – January 9.  Closure hours will start Friday at 11:00 p.m. and extend through the weekend to Monday at 5:00 a.m.  We will keep you informed as more details become available.

For more information about project – the purpose, benefits, and other information, visit our website at:  www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm