Northbound I-405 closure in Kirkland expected to cause major delays

KIRKLAND, Wash. — People traveling through Kirkland along the I-405 corridor should prepare for significant delays for four days this month.

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, crews will dig out a section of the freeway to install a concrete culvert to reconnect the fish passage beneath northbound I-405 to the section under southbound I-405 that was built during a full closure in July.

The closure

All lanes of northbound I-405 will close from Northeast 70th Place to Northeast 85th Street from 11 p.m. Friday Aug. 28 to 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31.

Up to three lanes of northbound I-405 also will close from the Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to Northeast 100th Street.

The following ramps will also close:

  • Northeast 70th Place on-ramp to northbound I-405
  • Northbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street

The detour

A signed detour will be in place. You can see a map of it below:

The Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 will remain open.

Plan ahead

Travelers should expect miles-long backups on northbound I-405 and heavier traffic on nearby highways and streets.

Additionally, northbound I-5 in Seattle is reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge until the end of 2026. The express lanes will remain open northbound only 24 hours a day. The Harvard Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-5 is closed until mid-October.

Much of this work requires good weather and may be rescheduled due to rain.