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Get ready: Three weeks away from big changes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue

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This news release was issued jointly by the Washington State Department of Transportation, Sound Transit.

Plan for busy weekend of construction and events May 19-22

BELLEVUE – Drivers heading across Lake Washington should plan ahead for longer weekend travel times across Interstate 90 as restriping work as well as several sporting events will bring congestion to westbound I-90 the weekend of May 19-22.

Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit were unable to perform scheduled striping work last weekend, May 12-15, due to forecasted wet weather. Crews will try again this coming weekend to restripe westbound I-90. This work is part of a project to add a new HOV lane in each direction of I-90 across Lake Washington.

Closure details

From 11 p.m., Friday, May 19 until 5 a.m. Monday, May 22 westbound I-90 will be reduced to one lane near Bellevue Way and routed into the express lanes. This work is weather dependent.

Special events

Allow extra time or consider carpooling, taking transit and checking your route before traveling through the Seattle area due to events this weekend.

Saturday, May 20

  • U-District Street Fair, 10 a.m. – 8p.m.
  • Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake: CenturyLink Field, 2 p.m.
  • Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox: Safeco Field, 7:10 p.m.
  • Stars on Ice: KeyArena, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 21

  • Beat the Bridge: Husky Stadium, 7:30 a.m.
  • U-District Street Fair 10 a.m. – 7 p.m
  • Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox, Safeco Field, 1:10 p.m.
  • Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics, KeyArena, 4 p.m.

More work ahead

Drivers should also keep an eye out for continued changes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue as new HOV lanes are scheduled to open the weekend of June 3.

After the May 19-22 work wraps up, crews still have additional items to complete prior to opening the new HOV lanes the weekend of June 3. This includes striping both directions of I-90 between the I-90/I-5 interchange and Rainier Avenue as well as irrigation and sign installation. Crews will also put the finishing touches on the upgraded tunnel operations systems. The work requires dry weather and extended 12-hour overnight closures. The latest closure information is available on the construction webpage.

When WSDOT and Sound Transit open the new HOV lanes, the I-90 express lanes will close permanently to vehicle traffic to allow Sound Transit to complete construction on the 14-mile East Link light rail extension from Seattle to Redmond.