The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has scheduled a massive weekend closure of northbound Interstate 5 in Seattle, creating a significant disruption for regional travel.
For drivers accustomed to using the downtown Seattle corridor, these closures eliminate the primary arterial through the city center for the duration of the weekend.
Because there is no connection from the express lanes to State Route 520, travelers heading toward Bellevue or Kirkland via the 520 bridge must find an alternate route south of the closure or use I-405.
This cycle of building, tearing down, and rebuilding work zones illustrates the logistical friction inherent in 21st-century urban infrastructure projects.
KIRO 7 News Seattle recommends that travelers heading north of downtown consider taking eastbound I-90 to northbound I-405.
Seattle drivers face a major I-5 northbound closure between I-90 and Northeast 45th Street starting Friday night for Ship Canal Bridge work.