BELLEVUE – Travelers across the Puget Sound should prepare for increased congestion the weekend of March 20-23, as the impacts from construction on Interstate 405 shift from Bothell to Bellevue, Renton and Kirkland.

This includes lane closures in Bellevue on northbound and southbound I-405, and the closure of the off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street in Kirkland beginning Friday night and lasting through early Monday morning.

For the past four weekends, major construction impacts along I-405 were concentrated in the Bothell area, where crews removed the State Route 522 flyover ramp to make way for upgrades on I-405 between the SR 522 and SR 527 interchanges. With that milestone reached, construction impacts along the I-405 corridor will now shift to the south where contractors working on behalf of the Washington State Department of Transportation will continue with paving and drainage work as well as regrade the ramp at Northeast 85th Street.

This work will overlap with a lane closure through the SR 99 tunnel, as well as the ongoing northbound I-5 lane reductions over the Ship Canal Bridge for Revive I-5.

I-405 lane reductions from March 20-23 in Bellevue

The two left lanes of northbound and southbound I-405 will close in downtown Bellevue beginning 11:30 p.m. Friday, March 20 to 4 a.m. Monday, March 23.

Additionally, up to two left lanes will close on northbound I-405 from I-90 to Northeast Sixth Street and southbound from SR 520 to Southeast Eighth Street will also close from 11:30 p.m. Friday, March 20 to 4 a.m. Monday, March 23.

Crews will continue paving and installing drainage as part of the I-405 Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project. When complete, this project will extend the two-lane express toll system between Renton and Lynnwood. Sound Transit will also use these lanes for its future Stride bus rapid transit service between Burien and Lynnwood.

I-405 ramp closure March 20-23 in Kirkland

The northbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street (Exit 18) will be closed in Kirkland beginning 10 p.m. Friday, March 20 to 4 a.m. Monday, March 23. A signed detour will be in place. Crews will pave and realign the ramp in preparation for a traffic shift in April, as part of the I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Inline BRT Station Project.

SR 99 tunnel maintenance in addition to I-405 work

Crews will close one lane of northbound through the SR 99 tunnel in Seattle from 7 p.m. Friday, March 20 to 5 a.m. Monday, March 23 for tunnel maintenance.

What travelers should expect

• Longer backups on I-405 approaching Bellevue in both directions, with congestion extending throughout the I-405 corridor.
• Possible delays on SR 520 ramps connecting to southbound I-405 as traffic merges through the reduced lanes.
• Increased congestion on local streets in downtown Kirkland near the Northeast 85th Street interchange during the ramp closure.
• Constrained travel in Seattle, where two northbound lanes of I-5 remain closed across the Ship Canal Bridge and one lane in the SR 99 tunnel will also be closed.

Plan ahead

When several major corridors are limited simultaneously, congestion can extend well beyond the construction areas as drivers shift to alternate routes. Travelers may encounter congestion in areas they typically do not associate with freeway construction, including local roads and parallel routes. Transit, park-and-ride options, flexible schedules and real-time travel information can make a meaningful difference during closures.

Work is dependent on good weather and may be rescheduled if rain is forecast. Schedule updates will be available on the project webpage, WSDOT’s Travel Center map, the WSDOT mobile app and by signing up for King County email updates.