The I-5 express lanes and northbound I-5 near the SR 520 interchange in Seattle will be closed at times this weekend.

The closures run from 10 p.m. Friday until 10 a.m. Sunday, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The work will require drivers on northbound I-5 to use eastbound SR 520 and Montlake Boulevard to turn around and rejoin northbound I-5 just past the work zone until Saturday morning. Then work on the express lanes will begin.

The shutdown will begin Friday night at 10 p.m. with northbound I-5 closed until 10 a.m. Saturday, then at 11 a.m. the I-5 express lanes will be closed until 10 a.m. Sunday.

People who continue past the Montlake Boulevard exit on eastbound SR 520 will need to pay the bridge toll, according to the WSDOT.

The WSDOT said crews will be placing steel bridge girders for a new flyover ramp over the freeway. The weekend shutdown comes as many people have been driving on I-5, taking advantage of the warm weather.

Drivers said it's frustrating and surprising that they would do this on the weekend, WSDOT said it’s because it would be worse during a weekday commute and added the construction work that they do can only really be done in warm and dry weather.

“A lot of the construction that we have to do requires warm, drier weather and we aren’t able to avoid every single event and we will do everything we can to make the process as simple as possible for drivers," said Tony Black with WSDOT.

Knowing it will be a busy weekend of travel, the WSDOT is asking people to take alternate routes. The WSDOT said there will be signed detours with uniformed police officers that will help guide traffic.

KOMO News spoke to some frustrated drivers who said the weekend is when people try go outdoors.

“It’s a lot of frustration because a lot of people won’t think about it and plan because not everyone will be aware of the closures that are happening," said Jerry Moore.

They said they expect traffic to be a headache and hope this will be the only shutdown, but for now, they're having to plan ahead.

"With the way the road construction is lately you should always plan on, if you have somewhere to be, give yourself some extra time," said Moore.

The weekend work is part of the WSDOT's SR 520/I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project. WSDOT said drivers should expect future closures and delays until the project is completed around Spring 2024.