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Full closure of I-5 northbound through Seattle happening this weekend

Brace for another round of highway closures in Western Washington

SEATTLE — A reminder to drivers heading through Seattle this weekend-- a large stretch of northbound lanes of I-5 will be completely shut down.

The closures start around the stadiums and ends in the University District.

People going north of downtown will need to use the express lanes, which will remain northbound 24 hours a day during the mainline closure.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said the Cherry/Columbia on-ramp to the express lanes will be open to all drivers from early Saturday morning to early Monday. Usually, this ramp is HOV only.

If you’re going downtown from the south end, there are no exits to downtown from the northbound express lanes, WSDOT says. You’ll need to use the Edgar Martinez Drive or the Dearborn, James or Madison Street exits.

You also could take eastbound I-90 to Rainier Avenue.

All on- and off-ramps to and from mainline northbound I-5 north of the express lanes entrance to Northeast 45th Street will close during the evening of Friday, Aug. 15 and remain closed until 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18. On-ramp closures include:

9 p.m.

  • Dearborn Street, Cherry Street and University Street

10 p.m.

  • Westbound I-90, Olive Way and Mercer Street
  • Westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Roanoke Street

11 p.m.

  • Eastbound I-90, westbound SR 520 and Harvard Avenue East

The lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 18.

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