SB I-5 lanes closed this weekend for Revive I-5 work in Seattle

Heading south, I-5 will be shut down on two lanes on Saturday and one lane on Sunday due to construction work.

SEATTLE – driver, get ready. The lane closures of the Revive I-5 are back this weekend as the crews complete the expansion joint and paving work.

Southbound Interstate 5 will be on two lanes on Friday night and Saturday and on one lane between Interstate 90 and Spokane Street in Seattle on Sunday.

Closure details

The lane reduction applies from Friday at 7 p.m. to Monday at 5 a.m.

The closure of the lanes on Main Line I-5 begins near the Freeway Park.

The collection / distribution ramp to I-5 to the south will be closed, although all exits with the last exit on Airport Way will remain open. The exits to Forest Street / Sixth Avenue and Spokane Street / Columbian Way will be closed along with the east- and west-facing driveways of I-90 to I-5 going south.

Cars attempting to get south from I-90 onto I-5 will be diverted onto I-5 north before exiting on James Street and returning to I-5 south.

Why are the I-5 lanes locked?

The work is part of a two-year restoration project, which is itself one of more than 20 restoration projects planned by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the I-5 corridor in King County.

The “Revive I-5” project is to last at least 10 years and includes up to 16 weekends with road closures to the south from 2021 to 2022.

Some of the work includes rehabilitating the one and a half mile long freeway between I-90 and Spokane Streets, as well as replacing 40 expansion joints that will allow the freeway to expand and contract depending on weather conditions and to stand under the weight of heavy vehicles.

According to WSDOT, the renovation work includes the renovation of the one and a half mile long stretch that has not been renovated for almost 55 years.

Over the course of more than five decades, automobiles have made deep tire grooves in the road surface, which can create spaces for water to accumulate, according to WSDOT. The grooves can cause vehicles to aquaplanet and, if they freeze, form pockets of ice that cause the vehicles to slide.

Work on this part of the project began in May 2021 and is expected to be completed in autumn 2022.

Drivers planning to use I-5 this weekend should be prepared for delays or look for alternative routes.

Find out about travel times here before you walk out the door.