SR 99 To Close For 3 Weeks, But We Don't Know When

SEATTLE, WA - We know for sure that an upcoming three week closure of SR 99 will be bad for traffic. What we don't know is when it's going to happen.

Before the new SR 99 tunnel can open, construction crews will need to close the highway for three weeks to realign lanes into the tunnel. The closure will span the 4-1/2 miles from Battery Street Tunnel to South Spokane Street.

In addition to that three-week closure, off-ramps at the south end of the viaduct will close for five to six weeks, according to WSDOT.

"The SR 99 southbound off-ramp to South Atlantic Street will close approximately one week before the main closure begins. The new SR 99 northbound off-ramp to Alaskan Way S. and downtown will open up to two weeks after the tunnel opens to drivers," WSDOT wrote in a bulletin about the closures.

All we know right now is that the closure will happen this fall. It might be a good idea to use that time to find a new non-SR 99 route to and from downtown Seattle.

Image courtesy WSDOT