Northbound I-5 in Seattle is reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge until the end of 2026. The express lanes will remain open northbound-only 24 hours a day. The Harvard Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-5 is closed until mid-October.
Project overview
Dozens of preservation projects are planned to revive Interstate 5 in King and Snohomish counties. Washington’s main freeway was built in the 1960s and needs major preservation and renovation work. Over the coming years, Revive I-5 projects will include pavement repair and full replacement, expansion joints, and seismic work to strengthen bridges against earthquakes.
What to expect
At this time one project is active:
Revive I-5 - Ship Canal Bridge preservation
Northbound I-5 reopens, Ship Canal Bridge reduced to two lanes
Northbound I-5 is reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge so crews can repair and resurface the bridge deck. The Harvard Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-5 is closed until mid-October.
Express lanes northbound-only 24/7
The express lanes are operating northbound-only 24 hours a day until the end of 2026, when mainline I-5 work finishes . See the maps and drawings section for details.
- Those traveling in the opposite direction of the work may also experience delays because the express lanes will not reverse.
- All drivers may use the express lanes. Please observe signage as select ramps will remain HOV-only.
Schedule of northbound I-5 closures and reductions:
- Jan. 9 - 12: weekend-long full northbound I-5 closure (work zone set up) – complete.
- Jan. 12 - June 5: months-long two left northbound I-5 lane reduction across the Ship Canal Bridge – complete.
- June 5 - 8: weekend-long full northbound I-5 closure (work zone removal) – complete.
- June 8 - July 10: all lanes of I-5 reopened for FIFA World Cup games – complete.
- July 10 -13: weekend-long full northbound I-5 closure (work zone set up) – complete.
- July 13 - end of 2026: months-long two right northbound I-5 lane reduction across the Ship Canal Bridge.
- End of 2026: weekend-long full northbound I-5 closure (work zone removal).
Weekend-long full closures for work zone set up or removal are weather dependent. Crews need dry weather to re-stripe lanes. That means if the weather is too rainy, crews will reschedule work for the following weekend.
See the "related links" tab for future projects.
The two right lanes of northbound I-5 are closed across the Ship Canal Bridge until the end of 2026. The express lanes are northbound-only 24 hours a day. The Harvard Avenue on-ramp is closed through mid-October.
When the Seattle section of I-5 was constructed in the 1960s, designers expected it to last about 25 years before needing major work. The freeway held up well for more than 50 years, but by the mid-2010s major preservation projects became necessary.
There was no freeway when I-5 was first built, so it was relatively easy to work with limited effects to traffic. Now I-5 is a lifeline that people and commerce count on every day. Because we can’t simply close it for years to rebuild it, we are creating many different projects to revive it one section at a time.
