Early warning: Alaskan Way Viaduct repair closure in late August

ORIGINAL TUESDAY REPORT: New information today about a full Alaskan Way Viaduct closure coming up later this summer. It was mentioned – without a date – when WSDOT‘s Secretary Lynn Peterson and Todd Trepanier spoke to the West Seattle Transportation Coalition earlier this month (WSB coverage here); Trepanier talked about keeping The Viaduct in good shape for its remaining years of usage, and noted a repair closure was ahead. Then this past weekend, chatting at the Morgan Junction Community Festival, Pete Spalding, a West Seattleite on the “stakeholders’ group” that WSDOT convenes quarterly, told us the group had just been given a specific date. We have now confirmed it via WSDOT spokesperson Laura Newborn:

WSDOT will be replacing or repairing 81 concrete panels on SR 99 between Forest and Holgate during the weekend of August 23. These panels are aging and as a result are cracked, potholed, and some have failed and need to be completely replaced.

The panel work and additional work needed on the North Access portion of the tunnel project will require a closure of SR 99 in both directions from the West Seattle Bridge to Valley Street, just north of the Battery Street Tunnel. We will have more specific details when the work plan is finalized, but your readers should note that SR 99 will be closed from the bridge to the tunnel on the weekend of August 23.

That day is a Saturday; the yet-to-come details, of course, will include specific start and end times. More details about the repair project are here.

ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: As a postscript, an update from WSDOT with a few more details, including plans for the north portion of the closure to extend past the weekend:

WSDOT will be replacing concrete panels on SR 99 in SODO and rebuilding SR 99 where it crosses Broad Street north of the Battery Street Tunnel. To complete this work, crews will close SR 99 in both directions between South Spokane Street and Valley Street the weekend of Aug. 23 and 24. Work on SR 99 north of the Battery Street Tunnel will continue on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 25 and 26. We are still finalizing the timing and location of this closure and will share information with the public as soon as we have it.

3 Replies to "Early warning: Alaskan Way Viaduct repair closure in late August"

  • clark5080 June 24, 2014 (3:20 pm)

    Expected completion is winter of 2014 does that mean there are going to be more of it being closed during the weekday or just the one?
    May go into work earlier than 4:30 during that time
    Jim

  • onion June 24, 2014 (6:38 pm)

    Are weekend highway closures even news anymore? In general, I think it would be more concise and easier to understand on any given weekend if WSB simply posted the local highways that are OPEN and available for travel. By now I think most West Seattle residents expect most roads in and out of our little neighborhood to be unavailable on weekends. ;)

  • bolo June 25, 2014 (3:08 pm)

    Have to admit that “replacing or repairing 81 concrete panels” in that time period is impressive! Very impressive!

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