Weekend travel alert: Multiple highway closures across central Puget Sound July 25-28

KING AND PIERCE COUNTIES – Another weekend of construction begins Friday night, July 25, and continues through Monday morning, July 28, as crews continue major preservation and maintenance work on multiple highways throughout the central Puget Sound region. 

Closure details

The Washington State Department of Transportation urges travelers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and prepare for delays on key corridors between Seattle and south Pierce County.

In Seattle, northbound Interstate 5 is reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge for preservation and repair work until 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15.

In Kent, southbound State Route 167 will close between State Route 516/Willis Street and South 277th Street from 11:59 p.m., Friday, July 25, to 4 a.m. Monday, July 28, while crews replace bridge joints and resurface the Green River bridge. The Willis Street on-ramp to southbound Interstate 405 and the southbound I-405 off-ramp to South 277th Street will be closed during this work. A signed detour route will be in place.

In Auburn, eastbound State Route 18 will close between C Street Southwest and Auburn Way South from 9 p.m., Friday, July 25, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 28, while crews perform paving work. Both the C Street Southwest on-ramp to SR 18 and the SR 18 off-ramp to Auburn Way South will be closed during this work.

In Pierce County, northbound I-5 approaching Dupont will close over two nights at Steilacoom-DuPont Road. Workers will remove temporary structures used to build the new overpass. Travelers will detour up and over the Steilacoom-DuPont Road off- and on-ramps from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. overnight Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26. 

All work requires dry weather and may be rescheduled.

Why do all of this at once?

There is no “good weekend” for closures like these. With a limited season of warm, dry weather, WSDOT must coordinate and work efficiently to complete them. 

These closures are part of WSDOT’s ongoing efforts to preserve and improve vital infrastructure. WSDOT coordinates work with its partners, while staff in the agency’s Emergency Operations Center will help keep traffic moving.

Know before you go

Travelers are encouraged to check travel times on the Travel Center map, WSDOT mobile app and following the agency’s social media accounts. In addition to planning ahead and allowing for extra travel time, people are encouraged to take transit, utilize park and rides, or sail aboard Washington State Ferries. WSDOT also recently published a blog with helpful resources and ways to “flip your trip.”