Update (as of Sept. 9): work on State Route 520 at Montlake has been postponed and all SR 520 ramps in the area will remain open. Additionally, the Montlake Bridge will now close at 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10.
Four different closures to bring delays; fans encouraged to plan ahead for travel to/from Sounders and Mariners games
As a couple of beloved Seattle sports teams take the field, our partners at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will hit the pavement for a weekend chock-full of important roadwork. People who drive or travel on I-5 or in the Montlake area should brace themselves for another busy weekend of traffic delays. We encourage people who will need to drive this weekend to plan ahead before hitting the road.
Preservation work on Interstate 5 in Seattle will occur at the same time as projects in the Montlake area from Friday night, Sept. 10, to Monday morning, Sept. 13. The closures allow crews to take advantage of dry weather before the end of this year’s paving season. People who drive in the area should plan ahead for increased congestion through the weekend, but especially around game time at Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park. People should consider their transit options or carpool if possible.
- All southbound I-5 traffic will funnel through the collector-distributor at I-90 from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday for as crew replace expansion joints.
- The I-5 Express Lanes will close from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday while crews replace 26 broken concrete panels.
Montlake construction
- The Montlake Bridge will close to vehicle traffic from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday for the first of five scheduled weekend closures. Access will be maintained on one side of the bridge for people who walk and bike during this first weekend but may be restricted on the following closures.
- Montlake Boulevard between Lake Washington Boulevard and the Montlake Bridge will close from Friday night to Monday morning as crews continue paving on the new Montlake Lid and do electrical work. Most ramps to and from SR 520 in the Montlake area will also close.
Sports in SODO
- The Seattle Sounders host Minnesota United at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lumen Field.
- The Seattle Mariners play the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Park.
Plan before hitting the road
Throughout the weekend, people traveling on I-5, SR 513 and SR 520 should plan ahead and allow extra time. When possible they should:
- Use alternative routes
- Use transit
- Travel before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
- Postpone trips
With the collector/distributor handling all the traffic through downtown, people can still get to the stadiums, but will need to allow extra time to travel. After the games, the ramps from I-90 to southbound I-5 will be open to help people get home.
Travelers can get real-time traffic information by following the WSDOT traffic Twitter feed.