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I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Inline BRT Station Project

The Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 will be closed from 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16. A signed detour route will be in place. Northbound I-405 will also be reduced by one lane near the Northeast 85th Street interchange from 10 p.m. Friday, Feb.13 to 4:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16.

Project overview

WSDOT, Sound Transit, and design-build contractor Graham Contracting, Ltd. are working to reconstruct and improve the I-405/Northeast 85th Street interchange. This project design supports Sound Transit's Stride Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), improves transit connections on Northeast 85th Street, and provides direct access to the I-405 Express Toll Lanes (ETLs).

With the City of Kirkland’s support, WSDOT and Sound Transit chose Northeast 85th Street for this project because it is a main connection between Downtown Kirkland, Redmond, and I-405. Working together, WSDOT, the City of Kirkland, and Sound Transit developed this project to improve accessibility for transit riders along the I-405 corridor and throughout the region and improve mobility and people who walk, bike, or roll.

The current interchange has two levels: the bottom level for local traffic on Northeast 85th Street and the top level for freeway traffic on I-405.

Project improvements along the lower level include local road improvements along Northeast 85th Street and its intersection with 114th Avenue Northeast/Kirkland Way.

The newly constructed middle level of the interchange is a multimodal hub. The hub will improve access and save time for transit riders, carpoolers, ETL users, and people who walk, bike, or roll. Transit riders will benefit from a new BRT station in the median of the northbound and southbound lanes, with connections to local bus stops. Pedestrians and cyclists will have wider sidewalks and better connections to BRT and the regional transit network. Carpoolers and ETL users will have direct-access ramps to the ETL system on I-405.

The project will also remove fish barriers, add noise walls, and add new stormwater facilities.

Once finished, this project will offer safer, more reliable transportation options for Kirkland residents, neighbors, and commuters – no matter how they get around.

Timeline
December 2022 - January 2027
Project status
Construction
Funding
$234.4M
Project hotline
425-224-2423

What to expect

Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 closed for utility work in Kirkland, Feb. 13-16 

Eastside travelers should plan for the Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound Interstate 405 to be closed from Feb. 13-16. Northbound I-405 in Kirkland will also have one lane closed. Crews will be paving and completing utility work.

Ramp and lane closure details

The Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 will be closed from 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16. A signed detour route will be in place.

Northbound I-405 will be reduced by one lane near the Northeast 85th Street interchange from 10 p.m. Friday, Feb.13 to 4:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16.

Additional nightly closures details

The northbound off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street (Exit 18) will be closed overnight from:

  • 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 to 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14
  • 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 to 7 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
  • 11 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16

Up to two lanes of northbound I-405 will be reduced overnight near the Northeast 85th Street interchange from:

  • 12:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14
  • 12:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
  • 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 to 4:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16

Westbound Northeast 85th Street will be reduced overnight by one lane from Kirkland Way to 120th Avenue Northeast from:

  • 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 to 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14
  • 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 to 8 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
  • 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16

Detour routes cannot accommodate normal traffic volume, so travelers are advised to “know before you go," travel during off-peak hours or, if possible, delay discretionary travel to help minimize backups.

Work is dependent on good weather and may be rescheduled. Schedule updates will be available on the project webpages, WSDOT’s Travel Center map, the WSDOT mobile app and by signing up for King County email updates.

Upcoming closures

Highway lane closures:

  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Friday, Feb. 13: Up to two lanes of southbound I-405 between milepost 19.84 and milepost 18.11 will be closed, nightly from 11 p.m. – 4 a.m.
  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Thursday Feb. 12: Two express toll lanes (ETLs) of southbound I-405 between milepost 19.46 and 16.3 will be closed, nightly from 8 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 12 to the morning of Friday, Feb. 13: Two express toll lanes (ETLs) of southbound I-405 between milepost 19.46 and 16.3 will be closed from 8 p.m. - 7:30 a.m.
  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Thursday Feb. 12: One lane of northbound I-405 from milepost 18.13 to 19.85 will be closed, nightly from 9:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 12 to the morning of Friday, Feb. 13: One lane of northbound I-405 from milepost 18.13 to 19.85 will be closed from 10 p.m.- 8 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 13 to the morning of Saturday, Feb. 14: One lane of northbound I-405 from milepost 18.09 to 18.80 will be closed from 11:30 p.m. - 6:30 a.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 14 to the morning of Monday, Feb. 16: One lane of northbound I-405 from milepost 18.09 to 18.80 will be closed from 12:30 a.m. – 7 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 13 to the morning of Monday, Feb. 16: One lane of northbound I-405 from milepost 18.09 to 18.80 will be closed from 10 p.m. - 4:30 a.m.

Highway ramp closures:

  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Thursday, Feb. 12: The Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 will be closed, nightly from 11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 12 to the morning of Friday, Feb. 13: The Northeast 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 will be closed from 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.
  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Friday, Feb. 13: The southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed, nightly from 10 p.m. – 4 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 13 to the morning of Monday, Feb 16: The northbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed, nightly from 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 13 to the morning of Monday, Feb. 16: The 85th Street on-ramp to northbound I-405 will be closed from 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

Local street closures:

  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Friday, Feb. 13: The left lanes of eastbound and westbound Northeast 85th Street will be closed, nightly from 9 p.m. - 5 a.m.
  • Monday, Feb. 9 to the morning of Thursday, Feb. 12: The right lane of eastbound Northeast 85th Street from the northbound I-405 off ramp to 120th Avenue to 120th Avenue will be closed nightly, from 9 p.m.- 5 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 13 to the morning of Saturday, Feb. 14: The right lane of eastbound Northeast 85th Street from the northbound I-405 off ramp to 120th Avenue to 120th Avenue will be closed from 9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 13 to the morning of Saturday, Feb 14: The right lane of westbound Northeast 85th street from Kirkland Way to 120th Avenue will be closed from 9:30 p.m.- 7 a.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 14 to the morning of Monday, Feb. 16: The right lane of westbound Northeast 85th street from Kirkland Way to 120th Avenue will be closed from 9:30 p.m. - 8 a.m.

The project will replace the existing two-level interchange at Northeast 85th Street with a three-level interchange and construct local improvements along Northeast 85th Street and its intersection with 114th Avenue Northeast/Kirkland Way.

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I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program

The I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project is one of 150 projects that make up the WSDOT I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program.

The I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program stretches from Lynnwood to Sumner, forming the only north-south highway alternative to I-5 in the Puget Sound region. The area also continues to experience a huge growth in new residents and large businesses. This growth has created new jobs and economic benefits. But it has also made it more difficult to travel along the corridor.

Both the I-405 Master Plan and the SR 167 Corridor Plan recommend connecting I-405 and SR 167 to form a seamless corridor program with a variety of transportation options to address current and future needs. The combined plans provide a 20+ year vision for the corridor. The plans include new highway lanes, improved interchanges with local connections, expanded bus service including BRT, a two-lane express toll lane system (SR 167 HOT Lanes and the I-405 Express Toll Lanes), and local improvements for pedestrians and cyclists.

The I-405/SR-167 Program's goal is to make travel easy, safe, affordable, and reliable for everyone who uses the corridor to get around. Better transportation systems will improve our quality of life and economic future. Learn more about the I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program.

I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project

In May 2022, WSDOT chose three design-build contract proposers for the I-405, Northeast 85th Street Interchange, and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project. In December 2022, the project team awarded the design-build contract to Graham Contracting, Ltd. Early construction activities began in early spring 2023.

The project design aligns with the I-405/SR 167 Program's corridor-wide vision and Master Plan by:

  1. Building new ramps to Express Toll Lanes (ETLs) to improve travel on highway lanes and provide all travelers with a more reliable, convenient trip. These new ETL ramps will connect people to the continuous 50-mile I-405/SR 167 ETL system that WSDOT is constructing along the corridor.
  2. Adding a Sound Transit Stride bus rapid transit (BRT) station and providing connections to local transit services. BRT stations add transportation options that can carry a large volume of passengers safely, reliably, and affordably. With buses running as often as every 10 minutes, this new station will connect to Link light rail at Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tukwila, and other transit services provided by Sound Transit, Community Transit, and King County Metro.
  3. Involving and engaging with community members, businesses, and partners in the decision-making and design process. WSDOT, Sound Transit, the City of Kirkland, and King County Metro conducted regular community, business, and partner outreach to learn about community priorities for the project design. The project team will continue to keep everyone updated as construction progresses.
  4. Increasing livability for communities along the corridor. This project will make transit more accessible and improve mobility along the I-405 corridor and throughout the region. This project also supports the City of Kirkland's 2021 - 2026 Capital Improvement Program, working to make the community safer, healthier, and more vibrant.