Spokane Street Viaduct: Next week’s plan; date set for Harbor Island ramp to reopen

The newest list of upcoming traffic impacts from the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project is out – and it includes two major points:

*Starting next Monday, First Avenue South will be one lane each way between S. Horton and S. Spokane for about eight weeks, around the clock.

*Early August 17th, the onramp from Harbor Island to the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct will reopen.

Here’s what else you can expect, starting with an eastbound SSV closure overnight Friday night (10 AM NOTE: 2 partial closures have been cancelled since this was published here – updated below):

From SDOT’s announcement:

The eastbound travel lanes on the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed at First Avenue South overnight Friday, August 3, from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. During the closure, all eastbound traffic will exit at the First Avenue South off-ramp. Motorists wishing to access the I-5 or Columbian Way on-ramps can continue eastbound on surface S Spokane Street to Sixth Avenue S, where they can connect to the ramps.

The westbound travel lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct between I-5 and SR 99 will be closed for two nights next week, Monday, August 6, and Tuesday, August 7. The closures will begin both nights at 10 p.m. and run until 5 a.m. the following morning.

Calendar of Upcoming Project Traffic Impacts:

…Friday, August 3

· The eastbound travel lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed at First Avenue S overnight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Saturday morning. During the closure, all eastbound traffic will exit at the First Avenue S off-ramp. Motorists wishing to access the I-5 or Columbian Way on-ramps can continue eastbound on surface Spokane Street to Sixth Avenue S, where they can connect to the ramps.

CANCELLED – Monday, August 6

· Northbound travel on First Avenue S will be closed overnight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. Traffic will be detoured eastbound on surface S Spokane Street and then northbound on Fourth Avenue S.

Monday, August 6 – Tuesday, August 7

· The westbound travel lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct between I-5 and SR 99 will be closed from 10 p.m. both nights until 5 a.m. the following morning.

CANCELLED- Tuesday, August 7

Southbound travel on First Avenue S will be closed overnight at S Horton Street through S Spokane Street from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Southbound traffic will be detoured to Fourth Avenue S at S Horton Street.

Wednesday, August 15 – Thursday, August 16

· The eastbound travel lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed both nights from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. All traffic on the West Seattle Bridge will be diverted to northbound SR 99.

At the completion of this closure (5 a.m. on Friday, August 17), the Harbor Island on-ramp to the eastbound travel lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct will reopen.

Once next week’s state plans for Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct are finalized, we’ll meld the two lists again into a day-by-day diversion.

6 Replies to "Spokane Street Viaduct: Next week's plan; date set for Harbor Island ramp to reopen"

  • MikeC August 3, 2012 (7:54 am)

    Despite how horrific it has been getting out of West Seattle, the Harbor Island on-ramp closure has mitigated going east on the SSV. It gets my vote for becoming a permanent modification. Not having to deal with trucks and cars merging across two lanes to the left while others are trying to go through or go to the 1st Ave exit keeps things moving!

    It seems safer too.

  • Franchesca August 3, 2012 (9:26 am)

    Thank you so much for the day-by-day summary! I especially appreciate combining all road closures in one place. Otherwise, I think I’d be afraid to leave West Seattle!

  • Kim August 3, 2012 (10:06 am)

    Totally agree with MikeC. I wish they would at least keep that onramp closed until the project is finished.

  • AJ August 3, 2012 (10:02 pm)

    Wasn’t the First Avenue exit off of the viaduct supposed to be open by now? Since there’s no penalty clause to enforce, is PCL doing anything to speed things up?
    SDOT should never contract with PCL again.

  • Dan August 3, 2012 (10:52 pm)

    Totally agree with keeping the onramp closed11111

  • bockrock August 4, 2012 (8:45 am)

    agree keep that exit closed. Those trucks merging is the biggest slowdown.

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