WSDOT says: Headed south for Presidents Day? Read this!

Crews will be replacing expansion joints on I-5 this weekend
Photo courtesy WSDOT

By Mike Allende, WSDOT

Presidents Day weekend is almost upon us and if you’re planning on heading south of Seattle, be prepared for some heavy congestion. Southbound Interstate 5 from Pine Street to I-90 will be reduced to one lane from 9pm Friday to 5am Tuesday so that contractor crews can replace four aging expansion joints.

When we did a similar closure a few weeks ago, we saw delays of 45-60 minutes through the work zone. So what can you do? First, add extra time to your drive because backups are definitely going to happen. Consider using I-405 or SR 99 but be sure to check our Seattle traffic page and listen to traffic reports in case those routes also become congested.

Follow our @wsdot_traffic Twitter feed for regular updates on traffic conditions, download our mobile app. If you’re going to downtown Seattle, you can use the express lanes from 8am to 3pm Saturday and Sunday (5am to 3pm Monday), otherwise avoid them, they won’t help you bypass the closure. It’s not going to be the easiest weekend to get south but with some patience and preparation, you can make your trip as painless as possible.