This weekend, travelers need to plan and find alternate routes for trips across Lake Washington and southbound Interstate 5, the Washington State Department of Transportation said. Beginning Friday night, July 8, State Route 520 will close across the lake and southbound I-5 will be reduced to two lanes near the stadiums all weekend.

SR 520 closure
Beginning Friday night, July 8, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will close State Route 520 all weekend to place bridge girders over the highway in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood. Crews are continuing to build a new lid as part of the $455 million SR 520 Montlake Project. Twenty-eight girders will be hoisted into place over SR 520 this weekend. The girders will act as a foundation for the future 3-acre lid over SR 520.

Meanwhile, crews will use the weekend closure to launch a 55-day around-the-clock closure of the westbound SR 520 exit to Roanoke Street. The extended closure is needed to build a series of retaining walls and shift the alignment of the ramp. Users of the off-ramp will need to find alternate routes to get around during the long-term closure. The off-ramp work is associated with the SR 520/I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project that will add a new reversible HOV connection between SR 520 and the Lake Union neighborhood.

Revive I-5 lane reductions
Two lanes of southbound I-5 will be open from about 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 8 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 11. During this time, WSDOT contractor crews will replace expansion joints on the southbound freeway south of I-90. Drivers should consider:

• All people driving on I-5 will need to use the collector/distributor
• The eastbound and westbound I-90 ramps to southbound I-5 will be closed except for two hours after stadium events.
• The express lanes will only open northbound Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10. The southbound point where the express lanes rejoin the I-5 mainline is in the closure area.

SR 520 weekend closure details
The closures will be in place starting Friday night, July 8, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 11. The Friday night closure times will be staggered as follows:

9 p.m. Friday, July 8

• The westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Roanoke Avenue

11 p.m. Friday, July 8

• Eastbound SR 520 between I-5 in Seattle and 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill
• Westbound SR 520 between 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill and I-5 in Seattle
• All associated SR 520 on- and off-ramps.

The SR 520 trail across Lake Washington will remain open during the closure.

Drivers crossing Lake Washington during the weekend should take I-90 as an alternate route or consider delaying their trips if possible. People in Snohomish County going to the eastside should consider using I-405.

With additional traffic using I-90, people who usually use I-5 should use alternate routes like I-405 and SR 99 or consider using light rail or bus service. People also should consider rescheduling discretionary trips.