SEATTLE — Ahead of another full closure of northbound I-5 through Seattle this weekend, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is preparing to try and ease drivers’ path around the closure.
SDOT reports Aurora Avenue, the University and Montlake bridges are all routes that have seen more traffic during the first weekend closure of NB I-5 and through the last four weeks of two NB lanes being closed.
“[There’s] a lot more vehicles on the streets, on the side streets, as people try to navigate and find their way to where their final destination is,” said Sonia Palma, an operations manager with SDOT’s incident response team.
The same increase in volume is expected this weekend as WSDOT will be closing I-5 north to completely reopen the freeway come Monday morning.
SDOT says over the weekend, more of its incident response teams will be on staff to clear any blockages as they come. Oftentimes, they are the first ones on scene when firefighters and police are busy with higher-priority calls.
“I know people think that we don’t have the authority to clear the road, and we do,” said Jerry Namsa, an incident responder with SDOT, “I just want people to know that we’re here to help, we’re able to help, if they let us help.”
SDOT has checked on trucks and stocked them with tools ahead of the weekend. The department is having its incident responders start shifts at different facilities all around the city, as opposed to its main lot in SoDo.
“That way, they are not waiting to go through the city, they’re already there at the start of their shift ready to work,” Palma said.
The closure will take place at the I-90 exchange to North 45th Street. The northbound express lane will be open for people to go north. It will reopen Monday morning.
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