Full weekend closure of I-405 in downtown Bellevue coming up June 18-19

 By Victoria Miller

One of the largest construction projects in the Puget Sound region is having its first full weekend closure this June. The Main Street Bridge across Interstate 405 in downtown Bellevue will be closed for potentially up to five months starting as early as June 13 while our design-builder, the Flatiron-Lane Joint Venture, constructs a new Main Street Bridge over I-405. This work is part of the I-405, Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project, and there will be two separate closures as part of this specific work.

The Main Street Bridge across I-405 in downtown Bellevue will be demolished and rebuilt as part of a major project to improve travel in the area.

Main Street Bridge closure and planned detour route

Work will begin with the closure of the Main Street Bridge as early as Monday, June 13. The Main Street Bridge across I-405 will be closed for potentially up to five months while crews construct a new bridge. Signs will direct drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to nearby detours, but travelers should expect increased congestion in the area.

Northeast Fourth Street will operate as the planned detour route, with signs directing travelers around the closure. In addition, Southeast Eighth Street and Northeast Eighth Street will relieve some of the traffic load from Northeast Fourth Street.

Full weekend closure of I-405 and planned detour routes

Once the Main Street Bridge is closed, crews will close I-405 between Northeast Fourth Street and Southeast Eighth Street for a full weekend. This highway closure is necessary for crews to safely demolish the existing Main Street Bridge. The full highway closure is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Friday, June 17, and end at 5 a.m. Monday, June 20, depending on the weather and other factors.

While I-405 is closed between Northeast Fourth Street and Southeast Eighth Street, southbound travelers can use the Northeast Fourth Street exit, travel south on 112th Avenue Northeast, and reenter the highway at Southeast Eighth Street.

Northbound travelers on I-405 can use the Southeast Eighth Street exit, travel north on 116th Avenue Northeast, and reenter the highway at Northeast Fourth Street.

A look at the detours for when I-405 is fully closed as part of the Main Street demolition work in downtown Bellevue.

What else do I need to know?

After the five-month-long bridge closure, the newly constructed bridge will partially open with one lane open to traffic in each direction for 60 days. Drivers will be able to use the bridge during these 60 days while crews finish construction of the bridge. Pedestrians and bicyclists will not be able to use the bridge during this time. After the 60-day partial closure, all lanes and sidewalks on the completed bridge will be open to all travelers.

We expect the entire closure, including the 60-day partial closure, to increase travel times and congestion in the area. Detour signs will be in place for the five-month closure of the Main Street Bridge, and for both southbound and northbound travelers during the full weekend closure of I-405.

Why are we replacing the Main Street Bridge?

As part of the Renton to Bellevue project, we must demolish and replace the bridge to make room for the additional lanes on I-405.

Once complete, the Renton to Bellevue project will add one new lane in each direction of I-405 between State Route 167 in Renton and Northeast Sixth Street in Bellevue.

We do not plan to close I-405 a second time in this area as part of the Main Street Bridge replacement work. However, in the coming years as this project continues, different areas of I-405 between Renton and Bellevue will be subject to full weekend closures in order for crews to complete other work. To learn more about the Renton to Bellevue project, visit our website.

How can I stay informed?

Make sure to stay up to date with the latest traffic and closure information by using our real-time travel map. If you would like to stay up to date on I-405 construction, please subscribe to the Eastside of Lake Washington Transportation News listserv.

If you have questions about this closure or the larger project in general, you can contact our project office at i405sr167program@wsdot.wa.gov or call the 24/7 construction hotline at 425-818-0161.

We recognize that big closures like this one can be inconvenient, so we encourage you to use other routes, postpone activities if possible, and/or travel at off-peak times. The Renton to Bellevue Project is not the only one in the area; construction projects, including the Revive I-5 Project, will be in full swing across the region. Make sure to “know before you go” and plan ahead for your travel. It’s going to be a busy summer!

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