Travelers should plan for a southbound weekend closure in November, lane reductions on I-405 and SR 167
RENTON – Work to replace the damaged Lind Avenue bridge in Renton over southbound Interstate 405 will soon begin to prepare for a southbound weekend closure scheduled for November.
People who rely on I-405 and State Route 167 should prepare for weeknight lane reductions on southbound and northbound I-405 as soon as Monday, Oct. 23. The overnight work also may require one northbound and one southbound directional closure of I-405, from 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. This work, which is weather dependent, may include ramp closures between I-405 and SR 167. Exact dates and details will be announced as soon as possible.
The pedestrian walkways over the Lind Avenue bridge also will close when construction begins.
Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will use these October overnight lane reductions to prepare for demolition of the damaged bridge, ahead of a full southbound closure of I-405 from the late evening of Friday, Nov. 3 through early Monday, Nov. 6.
Crews will focus much of the work on the southbound side of the road, where the bridge was struck in 2022, although travelers should prepare for sporadic northbound lane reductions. This work could be rescheduled due to the weather forecast.
Full 1-405 southbound closure Nov. 3-6
The contractor plans a weekend-long closure of southbound I-405 between Talbot Road and Interurban Avenue South starting at. 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, with a detour via Grady Way. Drivers will be able to access SR 167 by making a left turn on Rainier Avenue.
During the southbound closure, crews will demolish the northern span of the bridge. In addition to the full southbound closure, one lane of northbound I-405 also will be closed during part of the project. Work will take place until early Monday, Nov. 6, and the road will reopen before the morning commute.
In the coming months, there will also be about four overnight closures between the I-405 and SR-167 interchange and southbound I-405 off-ramp at Interurban Avenue South. During the closures, drivers will detour along Grady Way. Dates will be announced when they are finalized.
Damaged girders
In June 2022, a backhoe being towed on a trailer struck the bridge, seriously damaging five girders that support the overpass. That damage forced the closure of the bridge to vehicles and has been an ongoing hassle for businesses and residents in Renton and those trying to cross over to Tukwila and Kent.
After inspecting the bridge, WSDOT determined it is more cost-effective to replace that part of the overpass, due to its age and how it was built. After the weekend-long closure to remove the damaged bridge, crews will use overnight closures to place the eight new girders before they rebuild the northern half of the bridge deck. This project will be completed in early 2024. Johansen Construction is the contractor for this project.
For the latest construction closure information, visit the WSDOT real-time travel map, download the WSDOT traffic app or sign up for email updates.