Weekend directional closures coming on I-405 in Bellevue as crews remove temporary structure in preparation for the Blue Line

Sound Transit contractor crews have completed construction of the East Link light rail bridge that spans I-405 in Bellevue. 

In order to safely remove the temporary columns and beams that were needed for construction, one direction of I-405 at a time will be closed for a weekend in August.

Southbound -- Friday, August 9, 10 p.m. – Monday, August 12, 5 a.m.

• From Friday at 10 p.m. through Sunday morning at midnight southbound I-405 ramps leading to downtown Bellevue will be closed. Traffic will need to use ramp detour routes during this time. 
• From Sunday morning at midnight through Monday at 5 a.m. southbound mainline lanes will be closed. To minimize impacts to drivers, southbound I-405 traffic will need to use the collector-distributor road at exit 13B as a bypass route during this time. 

Northbound – Friday, August 16, 10 p.m. – Monday, August 19, 5 a.m.

• From Friday at 10 p.m. through Sunday morning at midnight northbound I-405 ramps leading into downtown Bellevue will be closed. Traffic will need to use ramp detour routes during this time. 
• From Sunday morning at midnight through Monday at 5 a.m. northbound mainline lanes will be closed. To minimize impacts to drivers, northbound I-405 traffic will need to use the collector-distributor road at exit 13B as a bypass route during this time. 

Sound Transit worked closely with the City of Bellevue and WSDOT to mitigate the impact for drivers in Bellevue. While weekend lane closures will cause traffic delays, it would have taken contractor crews more than 20 weeks of nighttime work to remove the falsework. 

Because these closures will cause traffic backups on I-405, people should plan for extra travel time, and consider alternative ways to reach or travel through Bellevue during these closures. Find maps and details about the lane closures at https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/project-updates/upcoming-weekend-directional-closures-coming-to-i-405, and suggested alternate routes from the City of Bellevue at www.BellevueWA.gov/accessbellevue.

Last year crews built the temporary falsework structure comprised of steel columns and beams to support the cast-in-place concrete deck before permanent concrete columns were constructed. With the bridge nearing completion, crews will disassemble the falsework using electric winches to lower the heavy steel beams safely to the ground. 

East Link extends light rail from the current International District/Chinatown Station to the Eastside with 10 new stations in Judkins Park, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond's Overlake neighborhood. East Link will operate as the Blue Line upon opening in 2023, with trains from the Eastside continuing through downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill, the U District, Roosevelt and Northgate. 
 
Sound Transit is simultaneously working to extend light rail north, south, east and west, opening new stations every few years to form a 116-mile regional system by 2041. The Northgate Link Extension will open as the Red Line in 2021. In 2024, the Blue Line will extend from Overlake into downtown Redmond, along with additional extensions to Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Kent/Des Moines and Federal Way. Further light rail extensions are scheduled to reach West Seattle, Fife and Tacoma in 2030; Ballard in 2035; Paine Field and Everett in 2036; and South Kirkland and Issaquah in 2041.