SEATTLE — Drivers should prepare for major delays through Seattle this weekend as all lanes of northbound Interstate 5 close between I-90 and Northeast 45th Street.
During the closure, WSDOT crews plan to remove the Revive I-5 work zone occupying the two right northbound lanes of the Ship Canal Bridge. The work is weather dependent and could be rescheduled if necessary.
Northbound I-5 express lanes will remain open in the northbound direction throughout the weekend before returning to normal operations at 5 a.m. Monday.
Ramp closures
The following northbound I-5 on-ramps are scheduled to close as early as 9 p.m. Friday:
- South Dearborn Street
- Cherry Street
- University Street
Additional on-ramps will close as early as 10 p.m.:
- Westbound I-90
- Olive Way
- Mercer Street
The following ramps will close as early as 11 p.m.:
- Eastbound I-90
- Harvard Avenue East
- Westbound SR 520
Starting as early as 11:59 p.m., the following northbound I-5 off-ramps will also close:
- Seneca Street
- Olive Way
- Mercer Street
- Lakeview Boulevard East
- Westbound SR 520
- Northeast 45th/Northeast 50th Street
All of those ramps are scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.
Getting around the closure
Drivers heading north through Seattle can stay left to use the I-5 express lanes or take eastbound I-90 to northbound I-405.
Drivers can also use alternate routes including State Route 99 and the 15th Avenue bridge over Ballard, but should expect significant delays heading north.
Drivers using northbound I-5 to reach downtown Seattle will still be able to exit at Edgar Martinez Drive South, South Dearborn Street, James Street or Madison Street.
Additional entrances to the northbound express lanes will be available at Fifth Avenue/Columbia-Cherry Street, Ninth Avenue/Pike-Pine Street, Howell Street/Eastlake Avenue East and Mercer Street.
The express lanes return to the I-5 mainline at Northgate. Drivers should note there is no access to SR 520 from the express lanes.
Once crews remove the work zone, WSDOT says the major scheduled Revive I-5 closures will be finished for the year.
Drivers could still see some overnight mainline I-5 closures and early express lane closures as crews continue bridge maintenance and drainage improvements underneath the Ship Canal Bridge.