Date:  Friday, July 17, 2009

Contact: Jeff Switzer, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4700
Mike Murphy, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4699

SEATTLE – A busy weekend of big events and major traffic changes is in store for drivers, starting out with additional delays expected after 9 p.m. Friday night on I-90. Crews plan to close all but one lane of westbound I-90 from Mercer Island to Seattle to restripe the freeway as they wrap up construction on the floating bridge.

On Saturday, Sounders FC plays Chelsea and 65,000 fans are expected at the noon game at Qwest Field. Sound Transit also is launching Link light rail service, and the Bite of Seattle will draw crowds to the Seattle Center this weekend.

Drivers should plan ahead and check traffic online before they leave home. Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle and track construction closures at www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009.

Crews are nearly done replacing the massive steel expansion joints on the I-90 floating bridge. For the past two weeks, all westbound drivers were funneled into the I-90 express lanes while construction took place in the mainline lanes. Traffic is scheduled to shift back to the westbound mainline lanes by 5 a.m. Saturday, July 18. Then westbound I-90 drivers will have three lanes to get to Seattle.

Scheduled I-90 traffic changes coming up:

• From 8 p.m. to midnight Friday, July 17: The westbound I-90 off-ramps to Rainier Avenue will close for restriping.
• From 9 p.m. Friday, July 17, through 5 a.m. Saturday, July 18: Crews will close all but one westbound lane on I-90 for restriping work.
• From 9 p.m. Friday, July 17, to 9 a.m. Saturday, July 18: Crews will close lanes on Bellevue Way near I-90 to restripe. Drivers still will have access to the eastbound and westbound ramps to I-90. Some turns from the Enatai neighborhood might be limited overnight and drivers should take 112th Avenue SE as a detour.
• From 3-6:30 a.m. Saturday, July 18: The eastbound I-90 off-ramp to Bellevue Way will be closed for restriping.
• By 5 a.m. Saturday, July 18: All westbound mainline lanes of I-90 are scheduled to reopen to traffic. All Mercer Island on-ramps to westbound mainline I-90 are scheduled to reopen.
• By 5 a.m. Saturday, July 18: I-90 express lanes completely closed for restriping work.
• By 5 a.m. Sunday, July 19: I-90 express lanes reopen for the Seafair Triathlon bicyclists.
• After 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 19: I-90 express lanes scheduled to reopen to vehicle traffic after the Seafair Triathlon.
• How bad is traffic? Travel delay information is posted regularly at www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009/today.

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