Seattle's I-5 lane closures are ending early — for now
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Work on the northbound lanes of the Ship Canal Bridge has lasted months. Photo: Courtesy of WSDOT
Seattleites are about to get a break from the monthslong lane closures that have been snarling Interstate 5.
Why it matters: Crews plan to remove the work zone over the Ship Canal Bridge this weekend, restoring northbound I-5 from two lanes to four and easing a major traffic choke point through the city.
Driving the news: Northbound I-5 through Seattle is expected to close completely from 11:59pm Friday to 5am Monday as crews clear out barriers, re-stripe lanes and work to fully reopen the freeway.
- Adjacent I-5 ramps will close as early as 9pm Friday.
The I-5 express lanes are also set to resume normal operations starting Monday, after running only northbound during construction.
- Typically, those lanes alternate between running northbound and southbound.
Caveat: Workers need several hours of dry weather to reopen the freeway — so if there's too much rain this weekend, the closures may continue another week or so.
- Plus, get ready, because more lane closures are scheduled next year for restoration work.
The big picture: I-5's Ship Canal Bridge over the Lake Washington Ship Canal hasn't undergone major preservation work for 40 years, state transportation officials say.
- Necessary repairs have included resurfacing the upper bridge deck, replacing concrete and aging bridge expansion joints, and improving drainage.
- About 240,000 vehicles each day use this stretch of I-5, which runs roughly from State Route 520 to Northeast 45th Street.
Zoom in: State officials had originally expected that the bridge's two northbound lanes would remain closed through the end of the year.
- The work is finishing early in part because of mild weather and efficient crews, WSDOT spokesperson RB McKeon told Axios.
- "Nothing earth-shattering, just good planning, hard work and a few things going our way," McKeon wrote in an email.
What's next: Southbound I-5 over the Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes for much of 2027.
- But for now, drivers can enjoy this temporary reprieve.