SHORELINE, Wash. — Drivers in Shoreline should prepare for significant traffic disruptions as construction continues along the North 145th Street corridor.
Since 2024, the City of Shoreline has been working on improvements to the 145th Street corridor, including major changes to the I-5 overpass. A key component of the project is replacing the signalized intersections on the overpass with two roundabouts.
According to Eric Bratton, communications program manager for the city, the goal is to improve traffic flow and safety.
“The end goal is we’re going to have two roundabouts operating on either end of the bridge, which will create a better flow of traffic. It’ll be safer for pedestrians, safer for traffic,” Bratton said.
Current Closures
Construction on a new roundabout prompted the closure of 5th Avenue Northeast between North 145th Street and the northbound I-5 on-ramp on February 15. That stretch of road will remain closed through the end of March.
Bratton said the closure is necessary to complete extensive utility work.
“The reason we’re doing that is because we just still need to do a lot of utility work and build huge trenches,” he said.
Additional Shutdown in March
Drivers should also plan for a full closure of the 5th Avenue intersection and the 145th Street overpass from March 19 through March 31.
Bratton said the complete shutdown is required to raise the roadway by four to five feet — a task that cannot be safely completed while traffic is moving through the area.
“We have to do that because we have to raise the road about four to five feet and it’s really hard to do with traffic. So we need to close it all down and get that work done. And once we’re done, we will have two functioning roundabouts at the overpass,” Bratton said.
Detours and Travel Delays
During the closures, detours will be in place, including routes along North 155th and North 130th streets. City officials advise drivers to allow extra travel time and avoid the area if possible while construction continues.