A person taking in the view of downtown Seattle from Gas Works Park. Photo Credit: SDOT Seattle travelers, please be aware that major construction, including WSDOT’s ongoing Revive I-5 work and a full closure of the SR 520 bridge, is likely to cause traffic disruptions this weekend. Several large sports games could also cause congestion at certain times.
We encourage you to consider riding transit such as the Link light rail, the bus, or the West Seattle Water Taxi to reach your destinations. This blog post contains a few additional resources for you to plan your travel this weekend – we hope you find it helpful!
Construction snapshot
SDOT construction work
Rainier Ave S
This weekend, from Friday, July 8 to Sunday, July 10, we will begin construction to add a northbound bus-only lane on Rainier Ave S between S Alaska St and S Walden St. We will also add a southbound bus-only lane between S Oregon St and S Edmunds St. We will remove the curbside travel lane and turn it into a new bus-only lane. We will maintain all existing on-street parking, the two-way center turn lane, and freight access.
Though the road will remain open during construction, travelers can expect periodic lane closures. People can also expect temporary bus stop closures of the northbound bus stops on Rainier Ave S at the intersections of S Edmunds St, S Alaska St, S Genesee St, 33rd Ave S and S Walden St. These bus stops will be closed for a few hours at a time and relocated bus stops will be provided nearby. Watch for notices and temporary changes at your bus stop during construction.
West Seattle and South Park
On Saturday, July 9 we will be completing paving work on Maine View Dr SW between 35th St and 39th St. Paving will begin as early as 7 AM and conclude by 4:30 PM. During this work, we’ll need to reduce the two travel lanes to a single lane and there may be delays for people driving.
Also on Saturday, we will continue updating signal lights on 7th Ave S and S Cloverdale St in South Park. A majority of the work will be completed on 7th Ave S with minimal impacts to S Cloverdale St.
On Sunday, July 10 we will be doing some additional vegetation cleanup and landscape work on Olson Place SW between 1st Ave S and SW Roxbury St. The work is anticipated to begin as early as 5 AM through 1 PM. Traffic impacts include the closure of the right-hand curb lane, the lane will reopen at 1 PM however we may extend working hours. Please anticipate delays while driving in the area.
For the latest SDOT travel information, you can follow our SDOT Traffic Twitter account @sdottraffic, or visit our Seattle Travelers web page for real time traffic camera information.
WSDOT construction work
SR 520 closure and Revive I-5 overview
Starting Friday, July 8, State Route 520 will close across Lake Washington and southbound I-5 will be reduced to two lanes near the stadiums for the rest of the weekend. Travelers will need to consider and plan to use alternate routes.
SR 520 closure details
Beginning Friday night (July 8), WSDOT contractor crews will close State Route 520 all weekend to place bridge girders over the highway in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood. Crews are continuing to build a new lid as part of the $455 million SR 520 Montlake Project.
Map showing SR 520 highway and ramp closures this weekend. Graphic credit: WSDOT
Meanwhile, crews will use the weekend closure to launch a 55-day around-the-clock closure of the westbound SR 520 exit to Roanoke Street. The extended closure is needed to build a series of retaining walls and shift the alignment of the ramp. Users of the off-ramp will need to find alternate routes to get around during the long-term closure.
Map showing alternate exits to E Roanoke St off SR 520. Graphic credit: WSDOT
Revive I-5 details
Only two lanes of southbound I-5 will be open beginning around 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 8 until 5 a.m. Monday, July 11. During this time, WSDOT contractor crews will continue to replace expansion joints on the southbound freeway south of I-90.
Drivers should consider:
- All people driving on I-5 will need to use the collector/distributor lanes.
- The eastbound and westbound I-90 ramps to southbound I-5 will be closed except for two hours after stadium events.
- The express lanes will only open northbound Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10. The southbound point where the express lanes rejoin the I-5 mainline is in the closure area.
This work is scheduled to continue every weekend this summer through around the end of September. You can read WSDOT’s blog post or visit the Revive I-5 website for the latest information, and you can keep up with WSDOT on Twitter at @wsdot_traffic.
Crews work on I-5 expansion joints during a recent weekend. Photo credit: WSDOT.
Mariners and Sounders home games
The Seattle Mariners have several home games against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park this weekend. First pitches are scheduled for Friday, July 8 at 7:10 p.m., Saturday, July 9 at 7:10 p.m., and Sunday, July 10 at 1:10 p.m. The Seattle Sounders are also playing a home game at Lumen Field on Saturday, July 9 at 1:30 p.m., against the Portland Timbers. We’re rooting for you, Mariners and Sounders!
Planning to catch a game? Consider taking transit—both T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field are served by the Link light rail (Station station) and several bus routes.
Transit and trip planning resources
From the Link light rail to the King County Metro, transit is a great way to get around Seattle. Different transit options are detailed below.
You can use Metro’s trip planning tool or Sound Transit’s trip planning tool to enter your start and end addresses, and pick the transit route that works best for you. Google Maps also offers transit planning and biking, walking, and other trip planning options.
If you do need to drive, consider carpooling, and leave extra time to reach your destination.
People getting on and off a Link light rail train in downtown Seattle. Photo credit: SDOT
Thank you
Thank you for checking in on ongoing construction and events as we work to make traveling through Seattle safer, smoother, and more efficient. We appreciate your time and attention. Have a great weekend!
Mobility is one of SDOT’s key values and goals. Graphic: SDOT.
Help us imagine the future of transportation in Seattle — visit our Seattle Transportation Plan Online Engagement Hub today! Graphic credit: SDOT