7-16-2026 9:33am

Plan ahead for congestion across Puget Sound during July 17-20 weekend

Chris Clasen Editor

Steve Peer, Communications, 425-301-2023
Lauren Padgett, I-90 Communications, 425-563-8207
RB McKeon, Communications, 360-399-9328

SEATTLE
– Travelers across the greater Puget Sound region should prepare for a
weekend of overlapping construction closures, particularly in Seattle
and Issaquah from Friday, July 17 to Monday, July 20.

Washington
State Department of Transportation contractor crews will work on several
major routes including Interstate 5, State Route 520, I-90 and SR 99.

The
work will reduce capacity, leading to longer, less predictable travel
times across the eastside and Seattle. Closures on these major routes
are necessary to keep projects on schedule following a temporary pause
in major construction during world championship soccer matches in
Seattle.

What travelers should expect

Increased congestion on westbound I-90 in Issaquah and I-90 bridge heading eastbound.
Constrained travel in Seattle with work happening on both I-5 and SR 99.
Increased congestion in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood.

Eastbound I-90 closure July 17-18

Eastbound
I-90 will close overnight from 11:30 p.m. July 17, to 7:30 a.m. July 18
for tunnel maintenance. People should use alternate routes.

Crews
will perform regularly scheduled maintenance in the Mount Baker and
Mercer Island Lid tunnels during the closure. The work includes fire
suppression and emergency systems testing, drain cleaning, light
replacements and road sweeping.

Westbound I-90 lane reductions July 17-19

Two
right lanes on westbound I-90 near Issaquah will close from 8 p.m. July
17 to 2 p.m. July 19 for paving. The Front Street ramp will also close.
This work is part of a paving and expansion joint project that will rehabilitate approximately two and a half miles of westbound I-90 near Issaquah.

SR 99 Northbound/First Avenue South bridge lane reductions July 18-19

Northbound
SR 99 will be reduced to two lanes compared to the normal four on the
First Avenue South Bridge from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 18
and Sunday, July 19 for bridge and structure preservation.

Montlake Boulevard and SR 520 ramp closures July 17-20

Montlake Boulevard will close in both directions
between East Hamlin Street and East Louisa Street from 10 p.m. Friday,
July 17, to 6 a.m. Monday, July 20. The following streets and ramps will
also close:

The Montlake Boulevard on-ramps to eastbound and westbound SR 520.
The eastbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard.
A 300-foot-long section of East Roanoke Street west of Montlake Boulevard.
Lake Washington Boulevard between Montlake Boulevard and 24th Avenue East.

The
westbound SR 520 off-ramp to northbound Montlake Boulevard will remain
open. Crews also will maintain a path for people walking, biking and
rolling to cross SR 520 on Montlake Boulevard, with a limited detour
south of SR 520.

During the weekend closure, crews will start to
remove an existing sign structure on Montlake Boulevard and install new,
smaller structures. This work is based on community recommendations developed in 2024 (PDF 2.4MB) following concerns about the size and appearance of the current structures.

Plan ahead

When
several major corridors are limited simultaneously, congestion can
extend well beyond the construction areas as drivers shift to alternate
routes.

Travelers may encounter congestion in areas they typically
do not associate with freeway construction, including local roads and
parallel routes. Using transit and park-and-ride options, being flexible
about travel times and accessing real-time traffic information can make
a meaningful difference during closures.

Much of this work
requires good weather and may be rescheduled due to rain. Schedule
updates will be available on WSDOT’s online Travel Center map, the WSDOT mobile app and by signing up for King County email updates.