Date:  Friday, December 14, 2007

Contact: Greg Phipps, WSDOT Communications, 206.440.4788

RENTON – An equipment breakdown has slowed down work to repair a damaged culvert on northbound Interstate 405 through the city of Renton. At 6 p.m. Friday, crews will stop work and reopen the northbound right lane between SR 167 and SR 169. Crews will close the lane and resume work 6 a.m. Saturday. The lane will then stay closed until Monday, Dec. 17, at 5 a.m. These right lane closures will continue between 10 a.m. and 5 a.m. each following morning for up to two weeks.

Crews working for WSDOT decided to halt work Friday afternoon after piece of equipment that fuses pipe sections together broke down. Mechanics are working to get the machinery back in order by Saturday morning. Crews need the machinery to install a 2000-foot-long pipeline that will divert Thunder Hills Creek around I-405. The creek normally flows underneath I-405 in a culvert, but the Dec. 3 storm collapsed a section of the culvert.

WSDOT traffic engineers expect significant congestion while the right lane is closed and are asking drivers to stay on top of the work using the WSDOT traffic Web page, calling 511 and tuning in to local media before they travel through the area. Drivers are also encouraged to take alternate routes, avoid trips, carpool, use transit and travel at less congested times of day.

To relieve some congestion, WSDOT and Washington State Patrol will not enforce the HOV-only restriction between 10 a.m. and 5 a.m. on weekdays. All drivers may use the northbound HOV lane through the construction zone.

To help keep traffic moving, WSDOT will be working around the clock to give drivers as much information as possible. We will:

• Work with local television and radio stations to deliver up-to-date, real time traffic information
• Place portable signs along the roadway letting drivers know the HOV lane is open to all traffic.
• Use the overhead electronic signs and the 511 system to deliver traffic information to drivers.
• Work with the city of Renton to manage traffic on local streets near the freeway.
• Staff WSDOT’s traffic management center during the busiest times.
• Put extra WSDOT incident response trucks and staff in the area to quickly clear any blocking incidents.

We have created a Web page that has more detailed explanation of our work at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/RentonCulvertReplacement.

< Back to News Home