SEATTLE, Wash. — The scariest thing in Seattle this Halloween weekend was the monster traffic caused by the latest Revive I-5 work.
“It is a big weekend in the greater Puget Sound,” WSDOT Communications Manager RB McKeon said.
The road work caused all northbound lanes of I-5 to close through the weekend as crews clean up -- following months of work around the Ship Canal Bridge.
“The good news is that, when folks head out for their Monday morning commute, we will be off the road and Revive I-5 will be done for the year,” McKeon said. “When I say done, I mean, those lane reductions that people have been encountering for the last ten months or so.”
WSDOT said the break will last a few months, then the same work begins on the southbound lanes. Though the end was near, gridlock became a reality as people searched for other routes north through Seattle.
“The closer you get to the closure point, people have less options,” McKeon said.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) said emergency crews have gotten used to getting around the traffic during emergency calls and are ready for especially bad traffic as people go out for Halloween.
“Of course, now it’s Halloween, and we are aware that people are going to be out, traveling to different events,” WSP Trooper Rick Johnson said. “So, we are also out there looking for dangerous, distracted, and impaired driving.”
“Oh my god, the worst weekend to have a closure,” Jholaine G., a Seattle driver, said.
Drivers like Jholaine said the Revive I-5 traffic is a pain and they hope it’s worth it.
“I-5 definitely needs the work,” Jholaine said. “There are a lot of cracks, you feel like you are veering to the side because of the terrible road. It’s actually something to look forward to -- the finished product.”
The express lanes remain open. WSDOT expects to begin the southbound construction in February.