Revive I5 is back after a brief pause for the World Cup. Through the weekend, Northbound lanes are closed entirely from I-90 to Northeast 45th.
The project caused miles of congestion Saturday morning, especially just south of Downtown. A KIRO 7 crew timed the drive from Boeing Field to the Northgate light rail station. The 13-mile drive took 43 minutes.
“It’s just horrible,” Emanuel Garcia, a driver, said. “I work in Ballard or the downtown area. It’s always at least an hour.”
The complete closure will last until Monday morning. It is intended to give crews the opportunity to set up work zones on the Ship Canal Bridge, the project’s focus.
“I’ve experienced time and effort in coming up with alternate routes for myself,” driver Carlo Carotti said. “And taking public transport when I must get downtown.”
Drivers acknowledge the road work is a pain, but what’s the alternative?
“Well, would you rather have the bridge fall down?” Carotti said. “I know people who have gotten flats on the expansion joints. That causes even more traffic. It’s time it’s done. I wish in this area, in this climate, there were enough crews to work 24/7.”
There will be lane reductions along the Ship Canal bridge until the end of the year. Then, in 2027, crews will begin the same work on the southbound lanes.
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