Washington To Host Changes Coming To Eastbound SR 520 Ramp In Seattle

From the Washington State Department of Transportation:

December 17, 2019

Washington To Host Changes Coming To Eastbound SR 520 Ramp In Seattle

Arboretum on-ramp to permanently close; new temporary eastbound ramp to take its place

SEATTLE – Crews will open a new eastbound State Route 520 on-ramp (pdf 9.2 mb) at 5 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, and simultaneously close the existing on-ramp from the Washington Park Arboretum. The Arboretum on-ramp, originally opened in the 1960s, is vulnerable to earthquakes and leads to an old section of the highway slated for removal.

Like the existing on-ramp, the new temporary eastbound on-ramp peels off from Lake Washington Boulevard East and has a ramp meter that will be activated during peak traffic periods. Just west of the existing ramp, the new ramp will be in service for about two years and then removed. Before taking it away it, crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will make enhancements to the Montlake Boulevard interchange and East Lake Washington Boulevard to accommodate the on-ramp traffic coming from the Madison Park area.

“The removal of the old Arboretum on-ramp reduces our environmental footprint in the Arboretum area” said Omar Jepperson, deputy administrator for the SR 520 Program. “This is a big milestone in our plan to support preservation and enhancement of the Washington Park Arboretum.”

Before the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program wraps up in about 10 years, WSDOT will begin to restore the property used for construction of SR 520 and coordinate with the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department to develop the Arboretum. The improvements will include wetland restoration and a trail system.

The work is part of the $455 million SR 520 Montlake Project to build new eastbound lanes between Montlake Boulevard and the new floating bridge, a new Montlake community-connecting lid and transit hub, a bike and pedestrian bridge over SR 520 and rebuild the Montlake Boulevard interchange.

Keeping travelers and neighbors informed
Get the most up-to-date information on construction activities or planned travel restrictions by visiting the SR 520 Construction Corner webpage.

Other resources to stay informed about the project:

• Email: sr520bridge@wsdot.wa.gov
• Email updates: Subscribe
• Twitter: @wsdot_520
• 24-hour construction hotline: 206-775-8885

This press release was produced by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The views expressed here are the author’s own.