First of two weekend-long closures of I-5 express lanes in Seattle planned for Sept. 11-14

SEATTLE - People traveling to, through and around Seattle should plan for two upcoming weekend-long closures of the Interstate 5 express lanes. Crews working on the Revive I-5: Ship Canal Bridge Preservation project will use the closures to access the underside of the bridge for drainage improvements.

The I-5 express lanes have only been open northbound during construction. The Washington State Department of Transportation has scheduled two weekend-long full closures of the express lanes for this work:

• 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14.
• 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5.

Most of the drainage work crews have been working on in 2026 is on the underside of the bridge and has been completed using scaffolding installed in 2024. Since not all sections are accessible via scaffolding, closures of the express lanes are needed to complete the work in this area. Crews will connect drains installed during an earlier phase of the project to the permanent drainage system. Drainage work will resume in 2027 when construction shifts to the southbound lanes of I-5.

Crews need to complete this work before the fall rains arrive. Planning the express lane closures for two weekends provides crews the uninterrupted time they need to get the work done.

Project benefits

Completing these connections will help move water off the bridge more effectively. This supports safer driving conditions by reducing standing water on the roadway and helps protect the new concrete bridge deck from water-related deterioration.

Plan ahead

People should expect increased congestion and longer travel times through the downtown Seattle corridor during the two weekend closures. Higher traffic volumes are also expected on other north-south routes as people traveling look for alternate routes and modes. There is no single alternate route that can absorb I-5 traffic, which makes planning ahead and allowing additional travel time especially important, so travelers should check resources like WSDOT's online Travel Center map and the WSDOT mobile app before leaving.