SEATTLE, Wash. — Construction work is back and it’s in full swing this summer.
Drivers traveling through Seattle this weekend should prepare for major delays, as a stretch of Montlake Boulevard will be completely closed in both directions for construction work.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is closing Montlake Boulevard between East Hamlin Street and East Louisa Street, making travel to the University District and State Route 520 more difficult.
Crews will close surrounding streets and ramps, including:
- Montlake Boulevard on ramps to eastbound and westbound SR 520
- The eastbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard
- A section of East Roanoke Street west of Montlake Boulevard
- Lake Washington Boulevard between Montlake Boulevard and 24th Avenue East
According to WSDOT, upwards of 100,000 vehicles could travel through Montlake Boulevard in a weekend. The agency says the intersection of Montlake Boulevard and SR 520 is the second busiest in Seattle, behind Mercer Street.
The closure is part of a project to replace existing overhead sign bridges after community members raised concerns about their appearance.
“Three years ago, we put up this sign bridge and another sign bridge in this neighborhood, and the residents around and others looked at it and said, ‘We don’t really like the look of this, it’s really big for our neighborhood’,” Steve Peer, WSDOT communications manager, said. “We actually halted putting up a third sign bridge that was scheduled to go on the southbound lanes north of 520. So, we actually had a couple of open houses and sent out a survey. And, from all of that, we set up a working group.”
The working group gathered community feedback and made recommendations.
Now, WSDOT is replacing the existing sign bridge over Montlake near East Roanoke with smaller mast-arm structures, similar to those used for traffic signals.
Two mast-arm structures will be installed over northbound Montlake Boulevard, while another will be added on the southbound side.
The work will take place over two weekends.
This weekend’s closure will take place from 10 p.m. Friday, July 17 to 6 a.m. Monday, July 20.
“There was a sign bridge that was going to go up on southbound Montlake, north of 520. We need to dig out those foundations,” Peer said. “Then, we also need to set foundations for the new mast arms that are going up -- two northbound and one southbound. So, those have to dig and then pour the concrete and put all the bolts.”
Montlake Boulevard will close again in August so crews can remove the existing sign bridges and install the new mast arms and signs.
Drivers are encouraged to use I-5 or Boyer Avenue as alternate routes during the closure. The bicycle and pedestrian path will remain open.
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