Bad Puget Sound Traffic Weekend: I-5 Closed, Huge Bicycling Event

SEATTLE, WA - Hope you're ready for another full closure of northbound I-5 this weekend. Oh, and also a buffet of other construction projects and events that not doubt will make driving torture this weekend.

This will be the first full northbound I-5 closure since the weekend of June 2. On Friday around 8 p.m., construction crews will begin closing the highway near the West Seattle Bridge. But lane reductions will begin as far south as the Southcenter area in Tukwila.

The highway reopens north of the Olive Way exit in the downtown area. Drivers coming from West Seattle or Beacon Hill will be routed onto the I-5 northbound collector-distributor (the part of the highway where you can exit to Madison or James streets).

In addition to the highway closure, there will be a slew of exit ramp closures. According to WSDOT:

7 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

• The southbound I-405 HOV on-ramp to northbound I-5.
• The Interurban Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-5.

9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

• The MLK Junior Way/SR 900 on-ramp to northbound I-5.
• The Boeing Access Road on-ramp to northbound I-5.
• The northbound I-5 mainline off-ramp to the express lanes.
• The northbound I-5 off-ramp to Edgar Martinez Drive.
• The northbound I-5 off-ramp to Seneca Street.
• The University Street on-ramp to northbound I-5.

10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

• The Swift Avenue/Albro Place on-ramp to northbound I-5.

10:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

• The Southcenter Boulevard on-ramp to northbound I-5.
• The Michigan Street/Corson Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-5.

11:59 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

• The southbound I-405 general-purpose off-ramp to northbound I-5.

And what else? This weekend, WSDOT will close US 2 westbound (weather dependent) between SR 204 and near I-5 to make repairs.

The Seattle to Portland bike ride will bring an estimated 10,000 riders to local streets and highways. You can find a full route map here, but the riders will be passing through cities like Kent, Sumner, and Puyallup, plus Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The Seattle Storm has a game Saturday at 6 p.m. at KeyArena. There's also a Tim McGraw and Faith Hill concert Friday at 7:30 p.m. at KeyArena.

As usual, transit officials urge drivers to avoid unnecessary trips through Seattle, or take public transportation. If you have to drive, SR 99 and I-405 are the only major through-ways around the I-5 closure.

File photo courtesy WSDOT