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Travel tips for May 9-21: planned construction, sports, & community events

by on May 9, 2025
People step aboard a Link light rail train headed to downtown Seattle. Photo: SDOT

Blog stats: 1,100 words | 5-minute read 

At-a-glance: 

SDOT construction, street closures, and travel impacts 

Please note: our construction projects take place throughout Seattle. To stay informed about projects near you, subscribe to our email updates. Select from a list of projects and subscribe to the ones you’re most interested in. 

  • Ballard Bridge closures
    • We’re closing the Ballard Bridge this weekend, May 9-12, for important bridge maintenance and preservation work.
      • Friday, May 9: Lane closures start at 7 PM, and the bridge will fully close at 10 PM.
      • Monday, May 12: The bridge will reopen by 5 AM.
    • Please note: dates and times may change due to weather conditions, crew and materials availability, or other circumstances.
  • Denny Way lane closures (Denny Way Paving Project)
    • You can expect lane closures and uneven road surfaces along Denny Way between 5th Ave N and Westlake Ave N.
    • We’ll be grinding off the top layer of asphalt as we prepare to resurface the street with new, smoother pavement.
    • The Route 8 bus stops at Denny Way and Westlake Ave will be temporarily closed from May 13-23 as we build new wheelchair ramps and repair the sidewalks near this intersection. You may catch the bus at either Denny Way & Dexter Ave or at Denny Way & Fairview Ave.   
    • Learn more online.
  • Eastlake lane reductions & detours (RapidRide J Line Project)
    • You will encounter lane reductions and detours when traveling on Eastlake Ave E just south of the University Bridge, between Fuhrman Ave E and E Allison St, including a southbound lane closure on Harvard Ave E.
  • Construction in Fremont (Route 40 Project)
    • Construction is scheduled to ramp up in Fremont starting May 12.
    • Initial work includes starting a large water main upgrade below Fremont Ave, just north of the Fremont Bridge, followed by street and sidewalk improvements.
    • Construction in Fremont is scheduled to continue through 2025.
    • On Saturday, May 17, 6 AM – noon, several temporary water shutoffs will take place. To minimize the duration of water access impacts during this time, we need to fully close Fremont Ave between N 34th St and N 35th St, one block north of the bridge.
    • Expect detours, temporary full street closures, and lane restrictions in downtown Fremont while this work takes place. Plan ahead for extra travel time.

Major league sports home games 

Seattle Mariners 

Upcoming games at T-Mobile Park 

  • Friday, May 9 at 6:40 PM: Toronto Blue Jays
  • Saturday, May 10 at 6:40 PM: Toronto Blue Jays
  • Sunday, May 11 at 1:10 PM: Toronto Blue Jays
  • Monday, May 12 at 6:40 PM: New York Yankees 
  • Tuesday, May 13 at 6:40 PM: New York Yankees
  • Wednesday, May 14 at 1:10 PM: New York Yankees

To learn more: 

A large baseball stadium on a partly cloudy day. Cars are in the foreground, with traffic signals and street signs in the background.
The entrance of T-Mobile Park at the corner of 1st Ave S & Edgar Martinez Drive S. Photo credit: SDOT

If you’re riding light rail, get off at Stadium Station stop and walk a short two blocks over. If taking rideshare, there’s a designated rideshare lot southeast of the ballpark. If driving, the Mariners Garage opens three hours before game time. You can also consider taking the Sounder train for the May 11 ballgame.

Biking, scooting, walking, or rolling to the game may also be great options, depending on your trip. Find more information on navigating to T-Mobile Park here. 

Seattle Reign FC 

Upcoming games 

  • Sunday, May 11 at 5:00 PM: Houston Dash

To learn more: 

Upcoming events in Seattle 

Please note: We’ve highlighted several upcoming events that you might be interested in – but this is not intended as a comprehensive list of every event in the city.

May 10: Seattle Center Festal: Spirit of Africa

Four people participating in an event. Three people are holding large bowls. Each person wears red clothing and headbands and necklaces.
Photo courtesy of Spirit of Africa and Seattle Center Festal

According to Seattle Center, “Spirit of Africa is a celebration of the music, dance, and culture of Africa. The festival bring high quality musicians, dancers, and other artists to the festival to showcase the richness, diversity, and joyfulness of African music and dance. Yet, it also strives to educate the community about African culture and the importance of music and dance both today and throughout history. Spirit of Africa is a yearly, one-day event held at Seattle Center.”

Learn more online.

May 17 –18: U District Street Fair

Large crowds of people sit and stand at an outdoor community celebration event. People read the newspaper, sit next to a stroller, and walk on the street. Large trees, red umbrellas, and buildings are in the background.
People enjoying the U-District Street Fair, held on University Way NE (also known as The Ave). Photo credit: SDOT

According to the U-District Partnership, “The U District Street Fair returns for its 54th year during the weekend of May 17-18, 2025 kicking-off Seattle’s summer event season with a 15 block-long arts and crafts fair that takes over University Way (a.k.a. “The Ave”). The two-day event will also feature free live music and performances, and over 40 food trucks and booths. This Seattle tradition regularly attracts over 70,000 visitors and now is accessible by link light rail which will transport visitors to the middle of the event at NE 43rd Street.”

Learn more online

Even more events!

We hope you found this post helpful in navigating Seattle during upcoming construction and major events. Enjoy the lighter spring days!

Filed Under: Accessibility, Busses, Community Involvement, Light Rail, SDOT, Traffic and Construction, Transit, Travel Advisory Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,