Prepare for Northbound I-405 Weekend Closure Through Bellevue for Bellevue Braids Project

Bellevue commuters will see new ramps to Interstate 405 and State Route 520 starting Monday, after a weekend closure that will affect the northbound lanes of I-405.

On Friday, Sept. 23, crews will close northbound Interstate 405 for 53 hours, according to a press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation. When crews reopen the road Monday morning, drivers headed to Redmond, Seattle and Kirkland will use new ramps to get to I-405 and State Route 520.

“Many drivers travel the same routes day after day and get into a routine. The changes coming Monday are significant,” said Seema Javeri, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) project engineer in a press release. “We need drivers to get familiar with the changes this week so it’s not a surprise come Monday.”

The project is part of the that will replace some of the ramps to and from Interstate 405 and State Route 520 though Bellevue.

Closure information

• Northbound I-405 will close from NE Eighth Street to SR 520 from 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26.
• Several northbound ramps in Bellevue will close and signed detours will be in place.
• Southbound I-405 will be open to traffic all weekend.
• Bellevue is open for business during the northbound freeway closure. Northbound exit ramps will be open as far north as NE Eighth Street.

During the closure, Atkinson Construction crews working for WSDOT will connect new ramps to I-405 and SR 520 from downtown Bellevue and northbound I-405. Crews will also take advantage of the freeway closure to accomplish other work to minimize future disruptions to traffic.

When I-405 reopens

Crews will unveil the new ramps when the freeway opens Monday morning – nine months ahead of schedule.

New signs in and around Bellevue will direct drivers to SR 520 and I-405 using the new ramps:
• Drivers going to SR 520 will use NE 10th Street. The new ramp will take vehicles directly to east- and westbound SR 520. Eastside drivers will no longer have access to SR 520 from NE Eighth Street.
• Drivers will continue to use NE Eighth Street to reach I-405 but will use a new ramp to reach northbound I-405.
• Northbound I-405 drivers should prepare to exit to SR 520 nearly one-half mile earlier than the current exit point.

Want project and construction details?

Once complete in the summer of 2012, the $107.7 million construction project will reduce existing congestion that can last up to eight hours a day in Bellevue with new braided ramps that separate traffic going to SR 520 and I-405 and an SR 520 bypass lane over NE 124th Avenue NE.

Crews are also replacing the NE 12th Street Bridge with a wider structure that includes a bicycle and pedestrian lane and improves traffic circulation in Bellevue. Construction on that aspect of the project continues.

-- Information from the Washington State Department of Transportation