UPDATE: How next weekend’s I-5 closures are going to unfold

ORIGINAL REPORT: Yes, that’s I-5 closures, plural, next weekend (Friday night, June 1st, through Monday morning, June 4th). Besides the northbound I-5 closure at the West Seattle Bridge that you’ve probably heard about, I-5 is also closing multiple NB lanes starting near Southcenter, and some SB lanes north of downtown. This afternoon, WSDOT provided this explanation of how it’s all going to unfold:

… Northbound I-5 lane closures will begin at the I-405 interchange near Southcenter before tapering down to a single lane that will exit at the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Street/Spokane Street.

*All on-ramps to northbound I-5 between southbound I-405 and South Michigan Street except from eastbound SR 518 will close at 8 p.m. Friday.

*The SR 518 on-ramp to northbound I-5 will remain open all weekend.

*The northbound I-5 off-ramps all will remain open between southbound 405 and the closure at the West Seattle Bridge/Spokane Street/Columbian Way exit.

*The northbound express lanes will open afternoons with access only from the downtown on-ramps.

*A single lane of traffic will be able to enter northbound I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Street/Spokane Street on-ramp before heading into downtown.

*At the Duwamish River Bridge, three right lanes will be closed.

*At the southbound I-5 Lake Washington Ship Canal Bridge, the two left lanes will be closed from 3 a.m. to noon Saturday. The two right lanes and the 45th Avenue Northeast on-ramp will be closed from 3 to 11 a.m. Sunday.

A second weekend of major I-5 closures is tentatively planned for July 13-16. (We regularly include road-work reminders in our weekday-morning traffic coverage, but break out big things like this as merited.)

SATURDAY UPDATE: Two notes resulting from discussion in comments and elsewhere:

-You can check area traffic cameras any time on this WSB page

-You CAN get to eastbound I-90 via the exit to NB I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge – that’s been confirmed via a Twitter discussion with drivers who’ve done it as well as WSDOT.

Trickycoolj May 29, 2018 (11:07 pm)

What is the likelihood that confused drivers will end up across the West Seattle bridge thinking they can get to NB99 that way? I certainly did that once years before I moved here.

Rob May 30, 2018 (9:17 am)

Well I’m not leaving the neighborhood this weekend, that’s for sure. This is going to be a nightmare.

newnative May 30, 2018 (9:52 am)

this is when the #50 is handy! That’s how I plan to celebrate Honk Fest West 2018

Taz May 30, 2018 (10:49 am)

Will I be able to go from the West Seattle Bridge to I90 eastbound? I can’t quite tell. This is going to be U-G-L-Y (snowpocalypse level).

WSB May 30, 2018 (11:05 am)

We’ll check.
- Trickycoolj June 2, 2018 (9:24 am)
  
  Anyone figure out if WS Bridge to EB I-90 is possible? Google maps is allowing it, need to go to the east side in a few hours. Would shave off a ton of time…. maybe.
  - WSB June 2, 2018 (10:01 am)
    
    The WSDOT maps suggest it is. I sent them that question the other day, got no reply, trying again via Twitter.
    - WSB June 2, 2018 (10:05 am)
      
      … and while WSDOT has not replied, three people have, two who said they did it, one found relevant cameras.
    - WSB June 2, 2018 (10:36 am)
      
      WSDOT has since replied to confirm. They also asked, what part of the map was confusing? My reply is that they very specifically needed to reinforce that this was an exception to the “I-5 CLOSED NORTH OF THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE” message that’s been repeated.
    - KM June 2, 2018 (12:02 pm)
      
      Oh that definitely was confusing to just say that I-5 is closed from WSB to Olive. For me, I assumed there was no access to I-90 EB since you have to get on I-5 to access that exist–glad you gave them that feedback. Thanks.
sam-c May 30, 2018 (2:16 pm)

Based on the enlarge map, it seems like you should be able to (that lane isn’t orange), but it is better to be sure. sounds like it will be a definite nightmare. Definitely staying in West Seattle