‘Monster weekend of closures’ coming to Western Washington highways, WSDOT warns

The state Department of Transportation is billing the coming days as a “monster weekend of closures” and is warning Puget Sound drivers to plan accordingly.

Interstate 5 through Fife and state Route 167 are two of the highways that will be completely shutdown at times while WSDOT crews and contractors tackle a variety of construction projects.

“The closures could be a monster for drivers if they don’t prepare and map out their weekend travels around the region,” WSDOT said in a news release.

Interstate 5 in Fife

A complete closure of I-5 between state Route 18 in Federal Way and 54th Avenue East will occur both Friday and Saturday nights.

Northbound and southbound lanes will close between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on both nights. Both directions will open between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The closures are for a simultaneous demolition of the old 70th Avenue overpass and the placement of girders for the new SR 167 Completion Project . A segment of that project which will connect the Port of Tacoma/SR 509 with I-5 via a tolled expressway is under construction.

WSDOT encourages drivers to detour onto SR 99 between SR 18 and 54th Avenue East. Other alternate routes include SR 161, 167 and 512.

Other area closures

▪ State Route 167: Southbound lanes will be closed from state Route 516 to South 277th Street all of Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27-28. The road will reopen at 4 a.m. Monday. The work is part of WSDOT’s SR 167 corridor improvement project.

▪ State Route 520: The highway and trail will be closed from I-5 in Seattle to 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill from 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30. The closure is to allow work on lighting and a fire-suppression system under the new Montlake lid over the highway.

▪ Interstate 405: Northbound lanes in Renton will be closed from Sunset Boulevard Northeast/Southport Drive (Exit 5) to Coal Creek Parkway Southeast beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30. The work will shift northbound traffic onto a new bridge.