Metro prepping to keep things moving during August I-5 closure

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It's not too soon to think about how you’ll get around during August’s three-week closure of a busy section of Interstate 5. King County Metro Transit has been planning for more than six months on how it will move buses and people through the affected area – now it’s your turn to find your best options for travel.

Starting Friday, Aug. 10, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will carry out 19 continuous days of intense construction on northbound I-5 between Spokane Street and Interstate 90. For most of the time, there will only be two or three lanes open in the northbound direction. Crews will close an additional lane nightly between midnight and 4:30 a.m.

During the closure, crews will replace the expansion joints on northbound I-5 between Spokane Street and I-90, and resurface the northbound lanes. The crews will also periodically close ramps in the project area, including the on-ramp from Spokane Street and the exit to I-90.

Traffic congestion resulting from the August closure is expected to be considerable, particularly for those who commute into Seattle from communities to the south such as Des Moines, Auburn, Federal Way and Tacoma. As drivers try to find alternate ways north, other highways and surface streets will likely also become crowded.

WSDOT is estimating that during the first half of the 19 days it will close two of five lanes, cutting freeway capacity by 40 percent. In the second half, three of five lanes will close, shrinking capacity by 60 percent. The agency is urging people who usually drive alone to find another way to travel during the closure.