Plan ahead: Several northbound I-5 lanes to close in Seattle this weekend for repairs

SEATTLE — Drivers planning to travel to Seattle this weekend are urged to plan ahead and expect delays as crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) plan to close several lanes of northbound I-5 for repair work.

The lane closures are part of Revive I-5. WSDOT crews will close a section of northbound I-5 in south Seattle near Boeing Field starting at 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday. The department said three northbound lanes will be closed between Albro Place and Columbian Way – leaving only two lanes open for drivers throughout the weekend.

The WSDOT said crews plan to open a third lane for a couple hours Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning to help with congestion as Mariners fans head to T-Mobile Park.

The Michigan-Corson on-ramp to northbound I-5 will also be closed during this work.

You might be wondering why this repair work is happening, and why now?

The WSDOT said hundreds of panels on northbound I-5 need to be replaced. Crews will also be grinding rough surfaces and removing ruts in the road.

“The project that we are working on currently along the Duwamish River and Michigan Street is about halfway finished with our weekend work,” said WSDOT spokesperson Tom Pearce. “We still have a number of weekends, including four where we’ll replace expansion joints near Military Road.”

You’re going to want to plan ahead if you have plans! With Mariners games and other festivities scheduled, the crowds are guaranteed.

“This weekend is a little bit more of a challenge because the Seattle Mariners season has started, we expect a big crowd, and we’re working with the Mariners to get people to the game. They’re just gonna have to plan. There are alternatives to I-5, like Highway 99 can get you down to the Stadium District, and light rail is a good option,” said Pearce.

While WSDOT crews plan to open an extra lane before and after the games this weekend, but the department said it might not be enough.

“Typically, when we do Revive I-5, people do choose alternatives which do impact how the backups are. Sometimes they will be two or three miles,” Pearce said.

It's not just work in Seattle planned for this weekend. Pierce County drivers who use northbound I-5 in Nisqually should also plan for possible delays. WSDOT crews will be placing new concrete on the highway this weekend.

The Pierce County lane closures begin Friday at 9 p.m. and last into Saturday morning. The closures pick back up late Saturday night and are expected to last until around Sunday at noon.

This is really the start of the busy summer construction season in Washington state.

The WSDOT said this weekend marks the seventh of about 13 weekend-long lane closures for the south Seattle Revive I-5 project.