The following is a release from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

Much needed work was accomplished during the weekend-long closure of the State Route 520 floating bridge, the closure of southbound SR 99 near downtown Seattle, and the partial closure of Interstate 5 near Beacon Hill with all lanes opening to morning commuters by 4:29 a.m. The Washington State Department of Transportation would like to thank drivers who remained patient and planned their trips carefully with WSDOT’s online travel tools to avoid delays, which helped reduce region-wide congestion.

SR 520

Contractor crews working for WSDOT demolished portions of a barrier near the west side of the existing floating bridge that will eventually connect to the future West Connection Bridge. Drivers will notice slightly narrower lanes approaching the arboretum as they travel westbound into Seattle. Near Medina, 9,589 tons of asphalt has been placed for the new westbound highway lanes.

I-5

The left half of six highway-wide bridge expansion joints were replaced by contractors as part of the Seattle Bridge Repair project which are replacing 33 worn expansion joints at risk for failure.

WSDOT maintenance patched several spots on the northbound lanes of the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge to prevent further deck deterioration. These temporary repairs will buy a little more time until funding is available for a complete resurfacing.

SR 99

Crews working for Seattle Tunnel Partners shifted the southbound lanes near the stadiums to allow traffic to continue flowing while construction begins for the ramps that will go in and out of the tunnel. The new southbound lanes travel through the construction site instead of around it. Drivers should expect initial congestion and delays as travelers adjust to the new lanes. Drivers should note the 25 mph speed limit at this section of SR 99. The new configuration will be in place until the new tunnel opens to traffic.

What’s next?

The busy construction season is just beginning. WSDOT is working to keep traffic moving and still allow construction projects enough time on the road to complete their jobs.

In the next several weeks, there are two more full closures of the SR 520 bridge that are scheduled for the weekends of June 20 – 23 and June 27 – 30.

A final partial closure of northbound I-5 near Spokane Street is scheduled for the weekend of June 27 – 30.

Contractor crews will close the northbound lanes of SR 99 from South Spokane Street to Valley Street during the weekend of June 20 – 23.