REPUBLISHED: SR 520 to close during the weekend of June 17-20

Crews will construct the fish passage culverts in a 30 foot
deep trench acrossall lanes of SR 520. Each culvert is
 10 feet tall, 20 feet wide and 150 feet long

REPUBLISHED:  SR 520 Bridge to close during weekend of June 17-20

Full closure begins at 11 p.m. on June 17

WSDOT is planning up to six more complete weekend closures of SR 520 in 2011 to demolish overcrossings, set girders, install more fish passage culverts and complete other work. The next closure is planned for a weekend in July

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For real-time construction updates, visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2011/today
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Track all construction work closures on SR 520.

Crews will construct the fish passage culverts in a 30 foot deep trench across all lanes of SR 520. Each culvert is 10 feet tall, 20 feet wide and 150 feet long.When is the closure?

What time will crews close the highway?
11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. the following Monday morning
Where is the closure?

Both directions of the SR 520 floating bridge and highway and all ramps between Montlake Boulevard and I-405 will be closed. SR 520 will remain open between Montlake Boulevard and I-5.
During the weekend closure drivers should use alternate routes such as I-5, I-405 and I-90.What are crews working on during the closures?

During the weekend closures crews will construct fish passage culverts under the highway, remove the pedestrian bridge between the Evergreen Point Road and 84th Avenue N.E. overpasses and complete other time-sensitive work activities.

What are the benefits of the work that will happen during the closures?
Installing new, larger fish passage culverts will improve fish habitat along the corridor.
Removing the pedestrian bridge is one of the first steps to widening the highway.

We are making the most of each closure by combining other time-sensitive work including, installing barrier and striping, and repairing potholes and glare screen.

Why do crews need to completely close the highway?

We will maintain access to the highway during peak weekday hours. Closing the highway during the weekend to complete some work activities will have the least impact to the traveling public.

Crews must close the highway to dig a 30-foot-deep trench across all lanes of traffic on SR 520 to install fish passage culverts measuring 10 feet tall, 20 feet wide, 150 feet long.

The pedestrian bridge does not have a center support column and can't be safely removed without a complete closure of the highway.
What can drivers do?

Approximately 166,000 vehicles travel across the SR 520 floating bridge on a summer weekend. We need drivers' help to prevent regional gridlock. We suggest drivers:

Delay discretionary trips, especially during high traffic periods in the late morning through the early evening, especially between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Know Before You Go: check the WSDOT website, call 511 for real-time travel information and plan for delays and added travel time.

Take alternate routes such as I-405, I-5 and I-90.

Carpool and use transit. Here are some links to help you plan your trip:

King County Metro
Sound Transit
http://www.rideshareonline.com/

We are planning up to six more complete weekend closures of SR 520 in 2011 to demolish overcrossings, set girders, install more fish passage culverts and complete other work. The next closure is planned for a weekend in July. These closures are part of the SR 520 Eastside Transit and HOV Project. The project will build transit service and mobility improvements, along with environmental and community enhancements on SR 520 between Medina and I-405.

Check out our fact sheet (pdf 1 MB) for more information or contact us:
E-mail: dan.galvin@gcinc.com

Hotline: 425-998-5200

WSDOT Press Release, 6/2/2011