Heads up! Bothell Way will be closed from July 17 to 20

Weekend drivers in the Lake Forest Park - Kenmore area should start planning now for a closure of Bothell Way NE near the intersection with Ballinger Way Northeast Friday night, July 17 to Monday morning, July 20.

Contractor crews working on the City of Lake Forest Park’s Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation Project will work around the clock to replace an existing culvert with a new, wider culvert that will help reduce flooding and improve fish passage.

Closure details 

• Both directions of Bothell Way NE will close between Ballinger Way NE and Brookside Boulevard NE from 7pm Friday, July 17 to 6am Monday, July 20.
• Drivers should plan for congestion and adjust their travel plans. While there will be a posted detour around the closure, drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes.
• Transit users should plan for delays on Bothell Way bus routes. Rider alerts will be posted at bus stops and reroute information will be posted online soon.
• The Burke-Gilman Trail will remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians. 
• Shoppers will be able to access the Town Center and the Sunday Lake Forest Park Farmers Market via shopping center entrances at Ballinger Way and Brookside Boulevard.
• Work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of heavy rain. 

The culvert replacement work is part of Lake Forest Park’s Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation Project, which will reduce flooding risk, enhance stream habitat, and replace four culverts that currently block fish passage, including this one that crosses underneath SR 522/Bothell Way Northeast. 

“We know summer is a busy time around Lake Washington and it’s never convenient to close a major road like SR 522,” said Lake Forest Park Environmental Programs Manager Aaron Halverson. “But we have to get the work done now before spawning fish return in the fall.” Completing this work all in one weekend will reduce the overall duration of construction in the area.

The $6.86 million project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the King County Flood Control District, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and the city of Lake Forest Park. It was designed by Davido Consulting Group, Inc. and is being built by KLB Construction.