Date:  Monday, June 01, 2009

Contact: Mike Murphy, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4699
Linda Thielke, Metro Transit, 206-684-1151
John Mauro, Cascade Bicycle Club, 206-446-3688

MERCER ISLAND – The clock is ticking for major closures on the I-90 floating bridge. Beginning July 5, WSDOT contractor crews will close all mainline lanes of westbound I-90 around the clock for up to three weeks. Five lanes worth of morning traffic will then be funneled into the two express lanes.

Similar construction on the I-90 express lanes in May caused hour-long backups between Issaquah and Seattle during the first week of construction. We need drivers' help in July to prevent even longer backups from forming. WSDOT traffic engineers say that even if 50 percent of drivers from the Eastside avoid the peak travel times, backups of an hour or more are possible.

Ridesharing
WSDOT and Metro Transit are offering incentives to drivers who share the ride, funded by a federal grant. Commuters have until Wednesday, June 17 to apply for a King County Metro vanpool and receive three free months. They must have five or more people and routinely commute on I-90, SR 520 or I-405. Solo drivers can find a carpool partner on RideshareOnline.com and receive a $20 gift card.

Drivers also can leave their car at home and take the bus. Carpools, vanpools and buses will face the same delays as other commuters, but riders can relax while someone else does the driving. There is space available at the South Sammamish, Issaquah Highlands, Issaquah Transit Center and Eastgate park and ride lots.

Bicycle commuting
While other commuters will be stuck in traffic, bicycle traffic will flow smoothly across the bridge. WSDOT will be building two temporary bridges to maintain access across the bike and pedestrian path. Tips and resources for bicycle commuting can be found on Cascade Bicycle Club's Web site.

Leave early
The best bet for commuters will be to set the alarms an hour or two early and leave no later than 6 a.m. on weekdays. The worst westbound I-90 congestion is expected between 6 – 11 a.m. and 3 – 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on weekends.

Work from home
Drivers can avoid the congestion altogether by working from home or a satellite location, or compressing their work week. They should start talking to their employers now to make arrangements.

WSDOT is replacing cracked expansion joints on westbound I-90 and the express lanes across the floating bridge. Engineers are concerned the joints could pose a safety concern if not replaced. WSDOT replaced the joints in the express lanes from May 4-16. The work in the westbound I-90 begins July 5 for up to three weeks. This $8.3 million project supports an estimated 80 jobs. For more information, please visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/HomerHadleyBridgeRepair/.

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