KING COUNTY, Wash. — Drivers who travel on southbound I-5 from Tukwila to Des Moines were told by transportation officials to prepare for major slowdowns and lane closures this weekend.
After a weeklong delay, the Washington State Department of Transportation planned to begin badly needed repair work Friday night.
By about noon Saturday, the backup had reached 4 miles. The backup was down to around 1 mile by 3 p.m.
#SouthKingSlowdown backups are about 4 miles, 30 minutes to travel. Think alternate routes, carpools, transit.
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) July 16, 2016
WSDOT calls it the “South King Slowdown.” Crews will be replacing aging concrete over five weekends during July and August.
WSDOT says up to four right lanes of southbound I-5 from I-405/SR 518 to SR 516/Kent Des Moines Road will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, July 15, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 18.
At least two left lanes will remain open, except from 11 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, 11:59 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday and 10 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday, when only the HOV lane may be open.
The HOV lane will be open to all vehicles.
The work is weather dependent.
The following ramps will also be closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday with signed detours in place:
- The southbound I-405 ramp to southbound I-5.
- The South 188th Street/Orilla Road South onramp to southbound I-5.
- The southbound I-5 offramps and onramps at South 200th Street/Military Road South.
WSDOT says close to 90,000 commuters use the route daily and drivers should be prepared for large backups.
"Traffic is going to be rough. We are going to see backups. We are going to see delays, how bad depends on what drivers do," said Tom Pierce with WSDOT.
As part of this project, crews will also be doing roadwork on I-5 between Duwamish River Bridge and Klickitat Drive in late August.
I-5 Construction could create traffic nightmare. What you need to know to avoid messy commute this weekend.
Posted by Patranya Bhoolsuwan on Friday, July 15, 2016
Cox Media Group
