Major closures scheduled on I-405, I-90 to impact weekend traffic

The Washington State Department of Transportation is warning drivers about traffic this weekend. Major closures are scheduled to take place on I-405 and I-90.

I-405 is scheduled to fully shut down between SR 900 and Coal Creek Parkway to allow construction crews to demolish the old 112th Avenue Bridge.

The closure is scheduled to start Friday at 11 p.m. and last until Monday at 4 a.m.

Crews are trying to widen the freeway and create a center access ramp where drivers can directly merge onto the HOV lane.

WSDOT has already built a new bridge to support the new infrastructure, but they still have to tear down the old one.

“That’s the biggest piece of the construction happening this weekend. We try to bundle as much as we can when we have a closure this large to try get our best bang for our buck,” said Craig Smiley, WSDOT Communications.

At least 200,000 drivers are expected to feel the impact this weekend, Smiley told KIRO 7 News.

Drivers will be able to get around the closure through WSDOT’s detour.

“The detour for this closure on I-405 is Sunset Boulevard to Coal Creek Parkway. So, it’s a pretty long detour. Obviously, detours are not going to handle the volume of the traffic that the freeway normally does, so we really need the public’s help,” he said.

However, traffic is also expected on I-5 as drivers try to navigate around the closure, Smiley added.

This weekend’s sporting events and concerts are also making matters more complicated.

Eastbound I-90, from Seattle to Mercer Island, is scheduled to close Friday at 8 p.m. and open Saturday at 5 a.m.

Crews are scheduled to perform routine maintenance inside the tunnel.

While other roads may see more traffic, small businesses near I-405, including Dino’s Pub in Renton, are expected to see less traffic.

“It definitely slows it down a lot,” said Lindsey Pfluger, a worker.

Pfluger said that while she understands the closure is needed, many small businesses are switching gears this weekend to prepare for it.

“We started doing live music here at Dino’s and people have really enjoyed that, but we decided to cancel it Friday and Saturday because of the lack of traffic we’re going to get in here.”