Crunch time coming to southbound lanes

Southbound lanes on I-405 from Southeast Eighth Street to I-90 will be completely closed for three weekends in August as construction crews remove the Wilburton Tunnel.

The section of I-405 represents one of the region’s largest traffic chokepoints and the tunnel removal will make room for more southbound I-405 lanes and an additional HOV lane in south Bellevue.

The southbound lanes will close:

· 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8 to 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 11

· 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15 to 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 18

· 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22 to 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 25

According to Ronald Kessack, the right of way manager with the Bellevue Transportation Department, demolition of the tunnel will be cleaned up on each Monday following the weekend construction, however, he anticipates a little friction caused by distracted commuters looking at what he referred to as “the new factor.”

“Things are going to look a little bit different and one thing we’ve learned on past projects is that when people drive by and realize something’s changed, they tend to slow down to get a good look,” he said.

State officials predict the work will increase traffic on all regional freeways between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and cautions commuters to expect delays and plan their trips accordingly.

“Our traffic experts predict back-ups could reach up to 13 miles if people don’t alter their weekend travel plans,” said I-405 Deputy Project Director Stacy Trussler. “Even with reduced travel, drivers should give themselves two extra hours to get around the region.”

Trussler added another bit of advice: take a “staycation,” that is, stay home.

“If you need to travel, do it early or late in the day, and leave plenty of time,” Trussler said.

While Bellevue is open for business during construction, drivers heading there are urged to avoid the freeways and take local arterials. Bellevue Police will be directing traffic at all main detours.

The Wilburton Tunnel spans 360 feet. With the new reconfiguration, the Washington State Department of Transportation expects to improve current and future road conditions by reducing congestion, increasing capacity and providing safer merge conditions for drivers approaching the I-90/I-405 interchange.

“We understand this situation is inconvenient for commuters, but our current freeway system needs improvements,” said I-405 Project Director Kim Henry. “It’s important to keep in mind the end result will be a better, safer highway for everyone.”

From the travelers’ perspective, traffic analysts working on the project predict an additional 20 to 25 miles per hour travel speed during the peak period. The added lanes also will cut down on the weaving of drivers from the inside lane to the outside lane. The additional HOV will be added to the outside lane to provide convenient access to exit to I-90.

The Washington State Department of Transportation typically places the HOV lane on the inside for long-term trips, but in reference to a short-term trip between interchanges it makes more sense from a traffic analysts perspective to move the HOV to the outside lane. The current I-5, HOV lane that runs from Lynnwood to Tukwila will remain.

Following the demolition of the tunnel, a new Southbound bridge over I-90 will be open to traffic by Thanksgiving 2008 and an auxiliary lane will open on Northbound I-405 from 112th Avenue Southeast to I-90. The traveling public will see relief this fall, said Trussler.

During the interim, WSDOT has developed a new Web resource to help drivers plan their trips and avoid backups during closures. The transportation department encourages drivers to visit:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/112thAvetoSE8th/wilburton.htm. On the Web page, commuters will find links to up-to-the-minute traffic conditions, recommended detours and transportation tips.

I-405 is renowned in Washington for having the worst traffic chokepoint in the state between Tukwila and Bellevue. By 2020, WSDOT anticipates an added 250,000 people — twice the population of Bellevue — will move into the I-405 corridor, making traffic congestion worse. Improvements such as the South Bellevue Widening Project are targeted to relieve I‑405 congestion now and into the future. The project has been underway for one year and is set to be complete by Christmas 2009.

Crunch time coming to southbound lanes

Southbound lanes on I-405 from Southeast Eighth Street to I-90 will be completely closed for three weekends in August as construction crews remove the Wilburton Tunnel.

The section of I-405 represents one of the region’s largest traffic chokepoints and the tunnel removal will make room for more southbound I-405 lanes and an additional HOV lane in south Bellevue.

The southbound lanes will close:

· 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8 to 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 11

· 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15 to 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 18

· 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22 to 5 a.m., Monday, Aug. 25

According to Ronald Kessack, the right of way manager with the Bellevue Transportation Department, demolition of the tunnel will be cleaned up on each Monday following the weekend construction, however, he anticipates a little friction caused by distracted commuters looking at what he referred to as “the new factor.”

“Things are going to look a little bit different and one thing we’ve learned on past projects is that when people drive by and realize something’s changed, they tend to slow down to get a good look,” he said.

State officials predict the work will increase traffic on all regional freeways between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and cautions commuters to expect delays and plan their trips accordingly.

“Our traffic experts predict back-ups could reach up to 13 miles if people don’t alter their weekend travel plans,” said I-405 Deputy Project Director Stacy Trussler. “Even with reduced travel, drivers should give themselves two extra hours to get around the region.”

Trussler added another bit of advice: take a “staycation,” that is, stay home.

“If you need to travel, do it early or late in the day, and leave plenty of time,” Trussler said.

While Bellevue is open for business during construction, drivers heading there are urged to avoid the freeways and take local arterials. Bellevue Police will be directing traffic at all main detours.

The Wilburton Tunnel spans 360 feet. With the new reconfiguration, the Washington State Department of Transportation expects to improve current and future road conditions by reducing congestion, increasing capacity and providing safer merge conditions for drivers approaching the I-90/I-405 interchange.

“We understand this situation is inconvenient for commuters, but our current freeway system needs improvements,” said I-405 Project Director Kim Henry. “It’s important to keep in mind the end result will be a better, safer highway for everyone.”

From the travelers’ perspective, traffic analysts working on the project predict an additional 20 to 25 miles per hour travel speed during the peak period. The added lanes also will cut down on the weaving of drivers from the inside lane to the outside lane. The additional HOV will be added to the outside lane to provide convenient access to exit to I-90.

The Washington State Department of Transportation typically places the HOV lane on the inside for long-term trips, but in reference to a short-term trip between interchanges it makes more sense from a traffic analysts perspective to move the HOV to the outside lane. The current I-5, HOV lane that runs from Lynnwood to Tukwila will remain.

Following the demolition of the tunnel, a new Southbound bridge over I-90 will be open to traffic by Thanksgiving 2008 and an auxiliary lane will open on Northbound I-405 from 112th Avenue Southeast to I-90. The traveling public will see relief this fall, said Trussler.

During the interim, WSDOT has developed a new Web resource to help drivers plan their trips and avoid backups during closures. The transportation department encourages drivers to visit:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/112thAvetoSE8th/wilburton.htm. On the Web page, commuters will find links to up-to-the-minute traffic conditions, recommended detours and transportation tips.

I-405 is renowned in Washington for having the worst traffic chokepoint in the state between Tukwila and Bellevue. By 2020, WSDOT anticipates an added 250,000 people — twice the population of Bellevue — will move into the I-405 corridor, making traffic congestion worse. Improvements such as the South Bellevue Widening Project are targeted to relieve I‑405 congestion now and into the future. The project has been underway for one year and is set to be complete by Christmas 2009.