Date:  Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Contact:

Scott VanAntwerp, Tunnel Supervisor, (206) 440-5206
Patrick Conrad, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4473

SEATTLE – For the next two weekends, WSDOT crews will close multiple lanes of Interstate 5 under the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle to test the fire suppression system. This is a new system that requires a yearly test and several lane closures.

The lanes will close as follows:

Friday, Sept. 12 – Saturday, Sept. 13 - Crews will close the three right lanes of northbound I-5 from 11 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday to test the heat detectors in the fire system. Crews will also close the on-ramp from Cherry Street to northbound I-5 and the Olive Way exit from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Saturday, Sept. 13 – Sunday, Sept. 14 - Crews will close the two left lanes of northbound I-5 from 11 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday to continue testing the heat detectors. Crews will also close the on-ramps from University Street and Cherry Street to northbound I-5 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Beginning at 4 a.m. Sunday, crews will intermittently stop all traffic to test the sprinkler system above the roadway. These closures will last up to 20 minutes.

Saturday, Sept. 20 – Sunday, Sept. 21 - Crews will close all lanes of southbound I-5 from 11 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday to test the heat detectors and sprinkler system above the roadway. Crews will also close the on-ramps from Howell/Yale Street and Mercer Street to southbound I-5 from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Traffic will be detoured at Stewart Street and will re-enter I-5 south of the Convention Center.

Flammable cargo will also be restricted under the Convention Center. Drivers transporting flammable materials on I-5 should use alternate routes such as Interstate 405, Interstate 90 or State Route 520.

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