BELLEVUE – Southeast Eastgate Way in Bellevue will close for six months between Richards Road and 139th Avenue Southeast starting Monday, April 21. The closure supports a fish barrier removal project on Sunset Creek.
Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will remove culverts nearly 40 feet beneath Southeast Eastgate Way that prevent fish from swimming upstream. The culverts are being replaced by a new bridge across the waterway.
“Extended roadway closures are never our first choice,” WSDOT Project Engineer Thomas La Bolle said. “But in this case, closing Southeast Eastgate Way proved to be the quickest and most efficient way to build a new bridge in this area.”
The new bridge on Southeast Eastgate Way is the fourth and final one that will be built for the Interstate 90 Sunset Creek fish passage project. Construction in this area will continue into early 2027, although most work will occur beneath I-90 starting next year.
Closure details
All lanes on Southeast Eastgate Way will close by 5 a.m. Monday, April 21, roughly halfway between Richards Road and 139th Avenue Southeast. The six-month closure creates a work zone for trucks and heavy equipment to excavate down to Sunset Creek.
A signed detour using Richards Road, Southeast 26th Street and 139th Avenue Southeast will guide pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles around the work zone during the closure.
Local access will be permitted to the east and west of the work zone, and driveways along this corridor will remain accessible. Through-traffic will not be allowed between Richards Road and 139th Avenue Southeast.
What to expect
Utility work and site preparation began in March on Southeast Eastgate Way. Bridge construction will primarily happen weekdays from 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Some intermittent night work is possible during later stages of the project.
King County Metro will relocate bus stops along Southeast Eastgate Way during construction. Some additional vehicle traffic is also likely along the detour route during peak travel times.
Southeast Eastgate Way is scheduled to reopen in fall 2025. Atkinson Construction is the lead contractor for the project.