SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Transportation is closing the northbound lanes of the State Route 99 First Avenue bridge for three days to make some repairs. It’s the first phase of the project.
The bridge will close at 5 a.m. on Monday, March 9 and won’t reopen until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11.
Two lanes of the bridge were closed on February 18 after crews found cracks in the steel deck grates during an inspection.
The temporary repair will allow all northbound lanes to reopen with a temporary speed limit reduction to 25 mph. The speed reduction will remain in place until the second phase of the repair is complete.
The next phase will take place in mid-to-late April. That’s when crews will replace the nine steel grate panels that are in the worst condition. Manufacturing these panels is underway, and WSDOT says it should take about six weeks. Installation is scheduled to begin as soon as they are delivered.
The goal is to complete the replacement before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins in June.
Once this phase is complete, all northbound lanes will reopen at normal speeds.
Phase three will be a full northbound deck replacement, which likely won’t begin until next year. WSDOT says design is underway, but this project will require more substantial coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and regional partners.