Date:  Monday, July 06, 2009

Contact: Patty Michaud, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4788 (Seattle)
Quick info link: www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009/today

SEATTLE – Drivers appear to have heeded WSDOT’s advice to stay home, telecommute, take alternate routes or leave before 6 a.m. The long holiday weekend may have also helped reduce traffic turnout the first day of WSDOT’s two-week, I-90 floating bridge lane closures. Engineers predicted it would take 45 minutes to drive from Bellevue and Seattle, but low traffic volumes kept travel times just under 30 minutes for most of the morning and evening commutes.

“The correlation is clear: there were fewer vehicles on I-90 today and that helped reduce commute times,” said Russ East, WSDOT Assistant Regional Administrator. “We expect to see more typical traffic volumes on Tuesday as drivers return from their holiday weekend and furloughs. We continue to need help from drivers to reduce delays.”

Contractor crews have closed all I-90 westbound mainline lanes across the bridge to replace two cracking expansion joints. All traffic west of Mercer Island is being funneled into two westbound express lanes at East Mercer Way.

Morning traffic
The morning commute was a little heavier than a typical morning commute. Between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. it took 33 minute to get from Bellevue to Seattle, about 10 minutes longer than usual. Traffic was a bit heavier on alternate routes like SR 520 and I-405.

Evening traffic
Westbound SR 520 remained heavy throughout the afternoon, but despite a 7 p.m. Mariners home game and no express lanes, the peak travel time on westbound I-90 was just under 30 minutes, about seven minutes longer than usual. Eastbound I-90 travelers had no delays.

Tuesday morning traffic
Tuesday morning will be the first real test for the I-90 closures. After a long holiday weekend, drivers should expect a more typical traffic volume and potentially long delays. Travelers should plan for alternate routes and travel outside of the morning peak commute time of 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Delays across the bridge may range from 30 minutes to an hour.

Progress on the job
Contractor crews are making good progress chipping away the concrete near the joints. Working simultaneously on both joints, they expect to continue chipping and cutting away the old steel for the next several days.

 
What should drivers do?

• Plan for 30 to 60-minute delays on I-90.
• Check the Web for the latest information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009/today.
• Check the Seattle traffic map to pinpoint and avoid congestion  www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle
• Use the overhead freeway signs and the 5-1-1 driver information line to get up-to-the minute information on the road.
• Call our I-90 information hotline at 206.440.4444. The hotline is staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Leave a message and your call will be returned.
• WSDOT has been communicating with drivers using twitter. http://twitter.com/wsdot

For more detailed closure information on these projects and other work this weekend, drivers should bookmark www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009 and check the “What’s happening right now” link.

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