SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Transportation is urging drivers to prepare for a series of “monster closures” on State Route 520 and Montlake Boulevard.
SR 520 between Interstate 5 in Seattle and 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill will shut down to motor vehicle traffic for two consecutive weekends, July 14-17 and July 21-24. Montlake Boulevard across SR 520 in Seattle will close around the clock for 10 consecutive days. The SR 520 Trail across the lake will remain open for both weekend closures.
“The bottom line is there’s a lot happening on 520 and in the Montlake neighborhood,” said Steve Peer, WSDOT spokesperson. “This is just the beginning of a very busy construction season with closures nearly every weekend this summer.”
The work begins at 11 p.m. July 14, westbound SR 520 will close and eastbound SR 520 will be reduced to one lane with no exit before the toll. The single eastbound lane will remain open to provide access across Lake Washington while eastbound I-90 is closed for scheduled maintenance. All eastbound travelers will need to pay the SR 520 Bridge Toll or consider an alternate route. Eastbound SR 520 will fully close at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 15.
Both directions of SR 520 will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, July 17.
Both directions of Montlake Boulevard between East Hamlin Street and East Louisa Street will also close around the clock from 10 p.m. Friday, July 14, through 5 a.m. Monday, July 24. All associated SR 520 on- and off-ramps will be closed during this time as well. A path for bicycles and pedestrians on Montlake Boulevard will remain open through the 10-day closure.
“All this work is necessary to pave and relocate utilities, including drainage to get both Montlake Boulevard and new on-ramps complete,” said Peer. “When this closure wraps up on July 24th, drivers will notice two on-ramps stemming from Montlake Boulevard, one westbound and one eastbound.”
This work is a part of the SR 520 Montlake Project. It’s expected to be complete early 2024.