It may be a difficult weekend to try and get around, as crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation this weekend will be closing the ramp from northbound state Route 167 to northbound Interstate 405 through Renton and a second section of northbound I-405 through Bellevue.
Crews will be working around the clock this weekend to replace a corroded drain pipe on SR167 and hundreds of cracked concrete panels on I-405 through Bellevue in just 50 hours while the highways are closed.
Both sections of highway will close at 10 p.m. tonight, Friday. Northbound I-405 will begin reopening at 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12. All ramps, including SR 167, will reopen by 5 a.m. that Monday.
The Washington State Department of Transportation urges drivers to “take five”— take five minutes to plan ahead for congestion and prepare for delays, particularly those heading to the Mariners game on Saturday to watch Ken Griffey Jr.’s induction into the Mariners’ Hall of Fame. Drivers could also consider I-5 as an alternate north-south route.
“We need drivers to start planning now to keep traffic moving this weekend,” said WSDOT’s Northwest Regional Administrator Lorena Eng. “Carpooling, vanpooling and taking the bus are great options to beat the backups. If you have to drive this weekend, make sure your plan includes adding extra time to your commute.”
Culvert work under SR 167 at I-405
Contractor crews will work to decommission an aging 30-year-old metal drainage pipe located 12 feet under the SR 167 roadway. The pipe, which is part of the stormwater runoff drainage system, will be replaced by a new, heavy-duty rubber pipe and located directly under the ramp shoulder.
Drivers should expect delays on northbound SR 167 and State Route 181 approaching I-405 and along the detour route.
I-405 concrete panel replacement and rehabilitation
Simultaneously, contractor crews on I-405 will replace the 50-year-old concrete panels in the two right lanes between Southeast Eighth and Main streets in Bellevue – the length of a dozen football fields.
They will also grind and seal the concrete pavement between State Route 520 and Northeast 70th Street. When the work is complete, drivers will experience a smoother ride with improved traction.
Drivers should plan for long delays on Interstate 90 near the detour routes – northbound I-405 where all traffic will exit to Southeast Eighth Street and Interstate 5 through downtown Seattle. Surface streets in and around Bellevue will experience extra congestion as well.
Weekend closure details
SR 167, 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12:
Contractor crews close the northbound SR 167 ramp to northbound I-405.
The on-ramp from northbound SR 167 to southbound I-405 will remain open.
The on-ramp from Rainier Avenue South to northbound I-405 will remain open.
I-405, 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, to 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12:
All lanes of northbound I-405 from Southeast Eighth Street to SR 520, as well as the eastbound and westbound I-90 ramps to northbound I-405 will be closed through 4 a.m. Monday. The exit to Southeast Eighth Street remains open, but drivers should expect heavy congestion and long delays.
Northbound I-405 will be reduced to one lane between SR 520 and Northeast 70th Street in Kirkland 2-7 a.m. on Saturday and from 1-5 a.m. on Sunday.
The on-ramp from Northeast Eighth Street to northbound I-405 will remain open.
Keeping traffic moving
WSDOT will do everything possible to help keep traffic moving during the weekend lane and ramp closures and the Mariners games against the Milwaukee Brewers:
Downtown Bellevue will be open for business with several alternate routes available.
Incident Response Teams will be on duty to clear incidents and stalled vehicles that worsen backups.
The I-5 and I-90 express lanes hours of operation will be adjusted to accommodate weekend traffic.
To reduce congestion, WSDOT is counting on drivers to:
• Delay or eliminate discretionary trips
• Travel before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
• Allow at least one hour of extra time to reach destinations
• Know detour routes before driving
• Carpool, use public transportation or bike
• Use Twitter to stay informed about traffic conditions. WSDOT will use the hashtag #Take5 to keep drivers informed during the closure
• Check WSDOT’s website for updated traffic information (see below)
Tools for drivers
Seattle area traffic: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle
Traffic cameras: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic
Travel alerts: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts
Mobile apps for cell phones and other wireless devices: www.wsdot.com/Inform/mobile.htm
Follow WSDOT on Twitter: twitter.com/WSDOT_traffic for Puget Sound traffic.
Call 5-1-1 for traffic updates
Tune to highway advisory radio at 1610 AM and 530 AM and watch electronic highway signs for information.
This weekend’s work is part of the $8.2 million I-405 Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation project, the $835,000 I-405/SR 167 Major Drainage Repair project and the $463 million Northeast Sixth to I-5 Widening and Express Toll Lanes project.
