Major Western WA highway closure coincides with big K-pop concert in Tacoma on Sunday

If you are planning to take I-405 this weekend to get to the ATEEZ K-pop concert in Tacoma on Sunday, you should consider alternate routes.

Parts of northbound and southbound I-405 were closed Friday at 11 p.m. and won’t reopen until 4 a.m. Monday.

Northbound I-405 will be closed from the on-ramp from North Southport Drive to the off-ramp to 112th Avenue Southeast, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation . Southbound I-405 will be closed from the on-ramp from Coal Creek Parkway Southeast to the off-ramp to Northeast 30th Street.

The closure will allow crews to work on the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project . The project website says it has a 10-year timeline and began in 2015. It aims to reduce commute times for travelers on I-405 between Renton and Bellevue by creating one new lane in each direction as part of an expanded (ETL) system between state Route 167 in Renton and Northeast Sixth Street in Bellevue.

Crews “will shift traffic, demolish the existing 112th Avenue Southeast bridge at Exit 9 and install drainage crossings under the north and southbound lanes of I-405 during the closure,” according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

WSDOT Traffic posted a reminder on X about the closures in anticipation of Sunday’s ATEEZ concert at the Tacoma Dome. ATEEZ is a K-pop boy band that debuted in October 2018 and is on a world tour called, “Towards the Light: Will to Power,” with a stop in Tacoma. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

In recent years, Tacoma has become an increasingly visible hot spot for K-pop culture, concerts and fan events. The Tacoma Dome has drawn audiences of 10,000 to 20,000 at recent K-pop shows, The News Tribune reported . The venue’s website says that its maximum capacity is 21,000 people, making it the biggest indoor venue in the state.

WSDOT Tacoma posted a reminder on X on Friday that the concert might cause traffic. The post encouraged fans to give themselves extra time to get there.

“Detour routes cannot accommodate normal I-405 traffic volume, so travelers are advised to plan ahead, travel during off-peak hours or, if possible, delay discretionary travel to help minimize the backups,” the Washington State Department of Transportation news release said.

ATEEZ fan Isabella Baglio, 25, plans to attend the concert. She lives only 10 minutes away from the Tacoma Dome, so the closures won’t affect her. She said that her friend who lives in Shoreline is planning to drive down for the concert and is a little concerned.

Just that morning, they heard about the expanded service on the T Line of Sound Transit Link light rail on Sunday, and Baglio said she feels taking the light rail is a good alternative to driving.

According to Sound Transit , the T Line, which runs from the Tacoma Dome Station through downtown and up onto Hilltop, will offer extended service Sunday to accommodate concert attendees. The last departure from the Tacoma Dome toward St. Joseph Station is scheduled at 11:48 p.m.

Baglio said she’s excited about the concert because for a long time she felt that the Pacific Northwest wasn’t as involved in K-pop culture, and fans had to go down to California or other places to see their favorite performers. Stray Kids ’ tour stop in Seattle felt like a shock only a few years ago, she said.

“I’m really excited to see people coming,” Baglio said.

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