In this alert: Weekday construction traffic impacts, Night work near I-90, and reminder of ongoing closures

Weekday construction traffic impacts: Sunday, June 17 – Friday, June 22

I-90

Sunday-Thursday (Friday morning) night closures, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.: In order to safely construct East Link's aerial guideway in south Bellevue, Sound Transit's contractor plans to close the southbound I-405 to westbound I-90 HOV ramp and the I-90 westbound HOV lane between I-405 and the East Chanel Bridge. Drivers should use the general purpose lanes during this time.

Bellevue Way Southeast

In order to work in the eastside curb lane while maintaining two lanes of traffic in the peak direction (northbound 6-10 a.m. and southbound 2-6 p.m.) crews will use the 'southbound center lane' as a reversible traffic lane. At times, northbound vehicles will travel in what is normally a southbound lane.

Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Work is set to begin on the light rail trench and guideway adjacent to Bellevue Way Southeast, between the South Bellevue Station site and the Wye at 112th Avenue Southeast. Throughout the project, two lanes will be maintained in the peak direction: northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon. Sound Transit's contractor will use cones and lane delineators to guide traffic along Bellevue Way Southeast. Please follow the direction of flaggers and signage to safely access your destination. More info on what to expect can be found at the East Link long-term and ongoing closures page.

112th Avenue Southeast

Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Daily closures of one northbound lane of 112th Avenue Southeast, between Bellevue Way Southeast and Main Street.

Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Daily closures of one southbound lane of 112th Avenue Southeast, between Main Street and Southeast 8th Street.

Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.: As needed, in order to complete utility work and facilitate wall construction, Sound Transit's contractor may close one southbound lane of 112th Avenue Southeast, between Southeast 8th Street and Bellevue Way Southeast.

Night work at I-90 in Bellevue

Long span aerial guideway construction

Crews are set to start construction of the elevated guideway and light rail bridge over I-90. 

What to expect: Beginning the week of June 17, crews will begin working night shifts within the I-90 corridor. Night work is necessary to finish the elevated columns and construct the light rail guideway. Work activity will initially be focused near columns four and five (see inset map). Crews will construct the pier table (the structure on top of column that supports the bridge deck) at column five and begin installing a form traveler at column four.

Form traveler construction: Form travelers are frequently used in balanced cantilever cast-in-place segmental bridge construction. This construction method utilizes a pair of form travelers which will be anchored to the top of the column pier cap. One form traveler will be installed on each side of the pier cap. While each traveler is a separate unit, they will operate as a pair. Once the travelers are installed, crews will build bridge sections moving at an equal pace outward from the column. As work progresses on long span bridges, the traveler will be moved from column four to column five and eventually the bridge spans will connect in the middle of the span. When complete, three bridges spanning 245' to 360' will form the East Link light rail guideway over I-90 and the I-90 ramps to Bellevue Way Southeast. 

The American Segmental Bridge Institute published an animation which illustrates segmental bridge construction using form travelers.

Work hours: Overnight, Sunday-Thursday (Friday morning). Since much of this work will occur over I-90 and I-90 ramps, crews will close lanes below the work zone, restricting traffic flow on I-90.

Noise: There will be noise from cranes, hydraulic pumps, steel beam erection, concrete trucks and associated equipment while crews set steel falsework, construct forms and place concrete in forms to build the bridge span. Vehicles will utilize broadband backup alarms.

Sound Transit's contractor is permitted to work expanded hours in the I-90 corridor and adjacent to Bellevue Way Southeast, including 24-hour work in this area. The allowable noise threshold is based on average construction noise produced over each one-hour period. There may be moments during an hour when construction noise exceeds the hourly average, but crews will take measures to stay below the average hourly threshold. Please contact East Link outreach with any feedback on nighttime noise. For after-hours issues that need immediate attention, Sound Transit maintains a 24-hour construction hotline.

Traffic impacts: Ramp and lane closures will shift as work progresses. Ramp and lane closures will be communicated in future alerts.

Reminder of ongoing closures

For information on previously announced long-term and ongoing closures click here.

• Bellevue Way Southeast reversible lane configuration
• Sidewalk closures and detours on Bellevue Way Southeast and 112th Avenue Southeast
• Bellevue Way Southeast to I-90 west HOV ramp 120 day closure
• Closure of Southeast 15th at 112th Avenue Southeast
• Winters House and Blueberry Farm Closure and new temporary lot