Westbound I-90 traffic shifts to express lanes for weekend starting Friday, June 3

Drivers heading west across Lake Washington should plan ahead for construction and delays yesterday, through Monday, June 6, as part of ongoing work to add around-the-clock HOV lanes to Interstate 90.

June 2, 2016 8:41 pm

Drivers heading west across Lake Washington should plan ahead for construction and delays yesterday, through Monday, June 6, as part of ongoing work to add around-the-clock HOV lanes to Interstate 90.

Beginning at 11 p.m. yesterday, crews working for Washington State Department of Transportation and Sound Transit rerouted all westbound lanes of I-90 to the express lanes between Bellevue Way Southeast and Rainier Avenue South until 5 a.m. Monday, June 6. This will allow contractor crews to continue upgrades to the operations and safety systems in the westbound Mount Baker and Mercer Island tunnels.

Drivers traveling to Seattle from the Eastside of Lake Washington should plan for lengthy delays along Interstate 405, westbound State Route 520 and westbound I-90 in Bellevue.

After the new HOV lanes are open on the outer roadways of I-90, Sound Transit will begin construction of the 14-mile East Link light rail extensionfrom Seattle to Redmond in the express lanes.

Traffic details

  • All westbound I-90 traffic between Bellevue Way and Rainier Avenue South will shift to the express lanes from 11 p.m. yesterday, until 5 a.m. Monday, June 6.
  • Drivers heading to Mercer Island will exit westbound I-90 at East Mercer Way. There are no westbound exits to Mercer Island from the express lanes.
  • Those wishing to travel from Mercer Island to Seattle should enter the express lanes at 77th Avenue Southeast or Island Crest Way.
  • The westbound I-90 exit to Rainier Avenue South will be closed. Drivers will need to use the Fourth Avenue South exit and follow a signed detour via eastbound I-90.
  • Flammable materials will be prohibited in both direction of I-90. Drivers must use alternate routes such as Interstate 405 or state routes 520 or 522.
  • The I-90 Trail will remain open.

Special events

  • Copa America Centenario: Haiti vs. Peru at CenturyLink Field: 4:30 p.m. today
  • Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure in downtown Seattle: 8 a.m. June 5
  • Seattle Storm vs. New York at Key Arena: 4 p.m. June 5

WSDOT needs help from drivers to keep traffic moving

Thousands of vehicles travel across the I-90 floating bridge on a typical weekend. WSDOT needs drivers’ help to prevent regional gridlock:

  • “Know before you go”: check Seattle traffic, call 511 for real-time travel information, and plan for delays and added travel time.
  • Allow extra time to travel westbound on I-90 or on alternate routes.
  • Ride transit, carpool or use other alternative modes of transportation.
  • Travel early in the morning or later in the evening, or reschedule discretionary trips.
  • Expect congestion on alternate routes such as I-405, I-5 and SR 520.
  • During the day, drivers should expect increased congestion on local streets, especially Rainier Avenue South, Fourth Avenue South and South Dearborn Street in Seattle; and Bellevue Way Southeast in Bellevue.