Drivers on southbound Interstate 5 in SeaTac and Des Moines should be prepared a traffic shift on Sunday morning, July 31, part of the weekend lane reductions for #SouthKingSlowdown.

Southbound I-5 will be reduced to the two left lanes starting at 8 p.m. Friday, July 29. Between 6 and 10 a.m. Sunday, July 31, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department will shift traffic from the left lanes to the right lanes.

Backups are expected both days this weekend, particularly during Sunday’s traffic shift. Drivers should use alternate routes including Interstate 405 and state routes 99, 167 and 509.

This is the third of five weekend lane reductions for #SouthKingSlowdown. The crews will pave the right lanes of southbound I-5 Saturday and early Sunday morning. After traffic is shifted, they’ll pave the left lanes Sunday and early Monday. That will complete the weekend lane reductions in the SeaTac/Des Moines area.

Drivers need to plan ahead

Throughout the weekend drivers should:

· Allow extra time to travel through the work zones or on alternate routes.

· Ride transit, carpool or use other forms of transportation.

· Reschedule discretionary trips.

· Check the Seattle Traffic page for updated traffic conditions.

· Download WSDOT’s mobile app.

Two more weekends of lane reductions

Lane reductions will resume the weekend of Aug. 12-15, when crews will replace expansion joints on the right side of the southbound I-5 Duwamish River Bridge and repair drainage under I-5 south of I-405.

The weekend of Aug. 19-22 crews will replace the expansion joints on the left side of the southbound I-5 Duwamish River Bridge. Also that weekend, southbound SR 167 will be closed from Ellingson Road to 8th Street East in Pacific so crews can install a culvert under the highway.