The new 2-Line runs every 10-minutes between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., seven days a week. Voters approved the plans in 2008, the same year when shovels first hit dirt on the east link light rail.

More from Bellevue: Bellevue to have cops on Eastside light rail trains

“I’ve been working on this project for the better part of two decades. We adopted our kid at age 3 when we were taking the first vote to the Bellevue City Council and he is 18 years old now,” King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci said. “I am just delighted to be able to deliver these rides for kids like our kid and everybody else.”

The 6.6-mile track offers eight stops between South Bellevue Station and Redmond Technology Station near the Microsoft Campus. Two more stops extending to Redmond are planned, including Marymoor Park. Once the Interstate 90 East Link extension goes into service — set for 2025 — that will link the 2-line and the 1-line together.

At times, the 2-line runs parallel to traffic. Other times, it’s zooming over Interstate 405 with spectacular views and tunnels along the route. The East Link will operate seven days a week between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., with trains stopping every 10 minutes at all eight stations.

Saturday’s Inaugural Ceremony starts at 10 a.m. at Bellevue Downtown Station, with a ribbon-cutting event set for 11 a.m. At that time, passengers will make history by boarding the new 2-line for the first time.

More from Nate Connors: Snohomish County Search and Rescue seeks volunteers amid uptick in missions

There will be events for all ages at every stop including a bouncy house, food trucks, bike helmet giveaways and live music. Also, along the route, passengers can take part in the Discover. Stamp.  Win! contest. Some of the prizes include an Xbox gaming console, one year of unlimited link and bus rides and a Meta Quest 3 VR headset.

For more information, visit Sound Transit’s website.

Contributing: Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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“There’s more missions and less volunteers,” Board President Mike Loney told KIRO Newsradio.

Why are volunteer numbers down?

“I don’t know specifically, other than this day and age there’s a lot of things that people can be into, and are interested in that compete for their attention. And the other reason is, we are bound by state laws about training that’s required by volunteers to be in search and rescue,” he responded.

Let’s talk about that. If someone wants to reach out and volunteer, what do they have to go through before they can go out in the field and begin missions?

Other local news: Snohomish County transit announces major changes as Lynnwood light rail set to launch

“The first thing we expect them to do is come to one of our unit meetings, we’re divided into sub-units. And there they will meet some of the current members. They have to attend a meeting with the sheriff’s office who oversees our search and rescue missions. And they give them an orientation of what they expect of volunteers,” Loney answered.

And then once you’ve done those two things, you would then have a background check by the sheriff’s department, can’t have convicted felons. And when you pass that, then you are a member of the search and rescue. But at that point, you’re not able to go out in the field yet. Because there’s quite a bit of training mandated that you have to have and before we will let you go out on a mission,” he continued.

Loney added that people start and then drop off.

“I do know we have a significant amount of people who start the process, and then they don’t follow through when they realize just how much training is required,” he said. “The good news is we provide all the training that’s required through the organization to the new members at no fee.”

What’s the timeline for getting all of this done?

“It’s probably closer to two months, that’s because the unit meetings are once a month, and then a sheriff meeting is once a month.  There’s a real urgency here because as we’re stepping into spring already, you want to have these folks ready to go,” he said.

What do you think is driving the increase in missions lately?

“I think a lot is driven by the social media craze. There’s several Facebook hiking groups that have several 100,000 members now. But the other driver that’s not so well known is the population is aging. And there’s significantly more calls in suburban settings where we’re looking for dementia, Alzheimer’s, that sort of person who wanders away and doesn’t have the mental capacity to know where they are and what they’re doing and be safe,” Loney explained.

With the aging population, more people are living longer. So there’s more people drifting into Alzheimer’s and dementia. And financially a lot of people can’t afford to put them in care facilities. A lot of these people are caring for them at home, and it’s hard on them to be aware of them 24/7,” he continued.

More from Nate Connors: Has your insurance gone up? Rates can take a hike for distracted drivers

What is the hot spot, or busiest area in Snohomish County?

“Heather Lake, Lake 22 area definitely gets a lot of calls. There’s a lot of people in those places. That’s another great contrast for me. When I first moved here in 2000, and you go to Lake 22, there would be 15-20-30 cars, and now on a weekend, there could be a couple 100 cars parked up and down the highway. And the sheriff’s out there writing tickets,” Loney said.

Anything else?

“There’s a number of volunteer positions you can do, like we have a food truck. So you never go in the field in some of these positions, because some people can’t or don’t want to be bushwhacking through swamps and mountainsides. So there are plenty of jobs for volunteers, like running the radios in the command posts, running the maps and making plans, cooking food and things like that. So there are other things for people to do within SAR that don’t necessarily have to be super fit and ready to go out in the woods,” he added.

If you would like to volunteer, head to SCVSR’s website.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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Earth Day is Monday, April 22, so the cleanup will take place this Saturday.

The WCC crew and Washington Coast Savers (WCS) have worked together since 2007, aiming to keep our state’s beaches and parks clean.

Emily Masseth, with Washington State Parks, shared numbers from last year’s event.

“We had 783 volunteers for last year’s Washington Coast Cleanup and they were able to pick up 14,350 pounds of trash off of our beaches,” Masseth said.

That is over seven tons and the equivalent of a half-full garbage truck, all in one day.

Other environmental news: Brace yourself for weeks of poor air quality in 2024, Seattle residents

Although this is called the Washington Coast Clean Up, Masseth explained the efforts go beyond our state.

“So it’s kind of a mix of different ones. So some of the state parks that are participating are Cape Disappointment, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Warden, Grayland Beach, Mystery Bay, Ocean City, Pacific Beach, Shine Tidelands and Twin Harbors. And there are also some city and county beach parks that also participate,” she explained.

Masseth added that volunteers can choose where to go.

“They can pick which beaches they want to go to, which is nice. So they can decide which place they want to visit, they can go to coastsavers.org and they can see all of the opportunities that are available on there, as well as the check-in stations. And if they’re not able to register beforehand, they can also register day of at those check-in stations,” she said.

Masseth told KIRO Newsradio that volunteers will need to bring their own food and beverages and they’ll need to purchase a parking pass.

“So on April 20, it’s not one of our Discover pass-free days. So people need a Discover pass in order for vehicle access at our state parks if they decide to do the cleanup at one of those locations. And if they need to purchase one, they can go to discoverpass.wa.gov. They can buy it online, or they can see the list of our licensed vendors, which are usually local chambers of commerce, outfitter stores, grocery stores, so they can find a location that’s close to them and it’s easier for them to purchase,” she explained.

Redfin: Seattle-area home sales impacted by climate, environmental factors

A single-day pass costs $10.

And if you discover that you enjoy cleaning our local beaches, Masseth told KIRO Newsradio about other opportunities coming up.

“We do two other cleanups throughout the year with Washington Coast Savers. We do one on the Fourth of July. There’s a fourth and fifth cleanup in July. And that’s mostly to alleviate some of the garbage that’s left behind by beachgoers and people who shoot off fireworks at our beaches,” she said. “So that’s one of our biggest cleanups of the year. And those numbers tend to be higher. And we also put on the International Coast Cleanup with Washington Coast Savers, and that’s the third Saturday of September usually.”

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has moved into the second phase of surface repairs between Seattle and Tukwila.  The southbound lanes of I-5 have had over 700 concrete panels replaced, ruts ground down, and expansion joint repair work, creating a smoother surface for drivers.

Now, work moves to the northbound lanes with less heavy lifting. Only a couple hundred concrete panels need to be replaced, and the work is expected to be completed by the fall of 2024. WSDOT has included a dozen weekends on top of the regular weekday projects to stay on pace.

Beginning Friday night at 10 p.m., contractors will close three lanes on northbound I-5 between Albro Place and the West Seattle Bridge until Monday morning at 5. This also includes the on-ramp from Michigan Street.

Weekend: Spring fairs, bar hops, and plant sales

WSDOT will open an extra lane a couple of hours before each Mariners game this weekend to alleviate some of the backups. Drivers can take I-405 and cross Lake Washington into Seattle or leave early if they plan on commuting on I-5.

Once this project is complete in the fall, Revive I-5 plans to move north between Yesler Way and Northgate.  This will finally bring repairs to the dilapidated surface across the Ship Canal Bridge.

I-5 in Nisqually:

Spring breakers headed home this weekend could see significant backups in Thurston County approaching the Nisqually River Bridge.

The WSDOT is taking advantage of the nice weather and will replace concrete panels on I-5 north just before the bridge.

This project is divided into two phases. First, crews will prep the freeway for the concrete pour. Second, crews will pour the fresh concrete, but lanes will not reopen until the concrete has fully cured.

Going on a spring trip from Sea-Tac? Your car might not be there when you get back

Two lanes will close beginning Friday at 9 p.m. through Saturday at 5 a.m. They will resume Saturday at 9 a.m., expecting the concrete to be fully cured by noon Sunday.

Drivers will want to schedule their travels around these work hours or plan on lengthy delays at times.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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“The state legislature, a few years back enacted new laws that cracked down on distracted driving and in particular mobile phone use. That fine can cost a couple hundred dollars depending on how many times you’ve been cited for it,” Brine said.

More increases: Yikes! Washington auto insurance rates blast past inflation

On top of that, your insurance can take a big hit.

“In particular, if you’re involved in an accident, and you’re at fault in the accident and you’re cited for distracted driving, that can mean a pretty steep premium increase of anywhere from 5% to 20%”, said Brine.

Typically these infractions stay on your insurance for between one and three years, or until your renewal date. From an insurance perspective, it’s easy to keep your premiums down by keeping your distractions down.

“You know if you’re fortunate enough to have avoided getting a premium increase because you’re a good driver, you want to keep it that way, and one way to ruin that record is to get a distracted driving ticket,” Brine explained.

This month, high visibility enforcement patrols are looking specifically for behavior like eating, grooming or reading behind the wheel.

Other travel news: It’s not the whole enchilada, but light rail to roll on Eastside this month

“The most dangerous thing you can do is pick that phone up and look at it while you’re driving. So please, we urge you to avoid that at all costs and hope everybody has a safe spring and summer,” Brine said.

First-time offenders will receive a ticket between $30 and $136. For second-time offenders, the amount goes up to $234. Don’t forget you can also get a distracted driving ticket while stopped at a stoplight.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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It’s part of the Improve Mobility Project, which started 3 years ago and is expected to wrap up some time by the end of summer.

So far crews have added a lane at Seneca Street in Seattle, added ramp meters to improve traffic flow and now electronic sign boards are going up.

This shuts down all northbound lanes on the mainline and collector-distributor between Interstate 90 (I-90) and Olive Way, with lane reductions beginning at 9 p.m. All lanes are set to close by midnight.

More transportation: Nine-day closure coming to Lower Spokane Street Bridge

Those needing to access downtown should take the Edgar Martinez Drive exit or head east on I-90 and exit at Rainier Avenue.

The express lanes will remain open for drivers heading north of downtown.

All lanes will reopen Wednesday by 4 a.m.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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Bellevue work ahead

For the next two weeks, contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will repair sections of guardrail and replace guardrail protective end caps, or crash cushions at the I-405/State Route (SR) 520 interchange in Bellevue.

This is part of the Northwest Region Breakaway Terminal Cable Replacement project, across King, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. The project aims to repair and update damaged guardrails and end caps to withstand today’s heavier electric vehicles.

Between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., drivers will see nightly closures at the I-405 north exit ramp to SR 520 west. A detour will send drivers SR 520 east to the 148th Avenue Northeast exit, from there drivers can access SR 520 west.

Work is scheduled on weekdays only, wrapping up Friday, April 12.

More from Nate Connors: Plan ahead as Revive I-5 could make it tough getting to Mariners games

Mount Lake Terrace to see extra traffic

Both directions of I-5 will have evening lane reductions, along with ramp closures between SR 104 and 220th Street Southwest, through Friday, April 5.

Sound Transit continues working on the Lynnwood Light Rail extension, which will connect parts of Snohomish County to the existing 1-Line, which goes as far south as Angle Lake near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

I-5 north sees lane, ramp closures

Several lanes between SR 104 and 220th Street Southwest will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. The off-ramp to 220th Street Southwest also will close.

The SR 104 west on-ramp will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. The off-ramp to 236th Street Southwest will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. The 46th Avenue West HOV on and off-ramps will close from 11 p.m. Thursday, April 4, to 5 a.m. Friday, April 5.

I-5 south drivers expect lane, ramp closures

Several lanes between 220th Street Southwest and SR 104 will close from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. nightly. The 220th Street Southwest on-ramp also will close. The off-ramp to SR 104 will close from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly.

Sullivan: A course in roundabouts; They are not that hard

The three right lanes between the 44th Avenue West on-ramp and 220th Street Southwest will close from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, Wednesday, April 3, through Friday morning. The 44th Avenue West on-ramp will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly, Wednesday, April 3, through Friday morning.

The off-ramp to 220th Street Southwest will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly, Wednesday, April 3, through Friday morning. The 46th Avenue West HOV on and off-ramps will close from 11 p.m. Thursday, April 4, to 5 a.m. Friday.

Drivers should plan for delays and consider alternate routes during those hours.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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Revive Interstate 5 (I-5) between Seattle and Tukwila has been in operation since last summer with an end date later this year. Contractors started work in the southbound lanes, smoothing the surface by replacing cracked concrete panels and grinding down ruts. This weekend, work shifts to the northbound lanes with the sixth weekend of lane restrictions, out of 13 total weekends scheduled.

Past coverage: Prepare for I-5 traffic as projects return to South Seattle

Over 700 concrete panels have been replaced so far with a couple 100 more to go. Thursday at 10 p.m., three northbound lanes will close starting near mid-Boeing Field up to Michigan Street and all lanes will reopen Monday by 4 a.m.

Recent weekend lane closures have brought significant backups. With a number of events going on in Seattle this weekend, drivers need to leave well in advance or plan on alternate routes.

Crews prep for North 145th Street closure

Shoreline drivers will see crews prepping this weekend for a long-term closure on Northeast 145th Street/State Route (SR) 523. The closure starts Monday and will last seven months.

Sullivan: I-5 overpass at 145th in Seattle to close

Several projects will be taking place simultaneously, including new roundabouts

“We have a ton of utilities that need to be moved,” explained City of Shoreline spokesperson, Eric Bratton. “We need to expand the footprint of 145th as it goes into the roundabout, and we need to lower the road about 10 feet in some places.”

Detours will be in place to guide drivers onto I-5, but you need to plan for long-term delays and consider alternate routes.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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Once completed, the Veterans Drive tunnel will provide access from the Kent Valley to the new Expressway. It will then go to the Seattle Tacoma International (Sea-Tac) Airport, which is also under construction.

More from Nate Connors: Prepare for I-5 traffic as projects return to South Seattle

During these hours WSDOT crews will install concrete barriers and restripe lanes to create a safe work zone.

Wednesday night, at midnight, all lanes of I-5 South will be narrowed to one lane between South 200th Street and South 272nd Street in Federal Way.

At 8:30 p.m. the South 200th Street on-ramp to I-5 South will close. All lanes and ramps will reopen the following morning by 5 a.m.

This work is scheduled nightly through Friday.

Drivers should plan on alternate routes or plan on lengthy delays at times.

The Veterans Drive tunnel is part of the SR 509 Project, offering freight liners a quicker route to ports in Seattle, including Sea-Tac Airport and the Port of Seattle on Elliott Bay. This will lighten congestion on I-5 and SR 167 (Valley Highway) and increase quicker commute times for automobiles.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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“We’ve been working in South Seattle since about October, this project is going to go until next fall,” Washington State Department of Transportation spokesperson, Amy Moreno, said. “We’ve been doing lane reductions on weeknights, and weekends, there are going to be about 13 weekends total. This is the fifth of those 13 weekends.”

More from Nate Connors: A bevy of traffic situations you need to be aware of this weekend

Moreno explained why contractors are returning to the same section they worked on before.

“This project has three parts to it, concrete panel replacement, smoothing out some uneven parts of the freeway, and there will be some expansion joint replacement. That is not happening this weekend. This weekend is going to be primarily replacing concrete panels,” she said.

I-5 lane reductions start Friday night

Lane reductions begin Friday at 10 p.m. bringing I-5 south down to one lane between Boeing Access Road and State Route 599, in Tukwila. Saturday at noon, crews will open a second lane. All lanes will reopen Monday by 4 a.m.

Moreno also warned drivers of the impact.

“We did this same pattern the first weekend in March and we saw significant traffic. So, we’re just asking people if they can take a different route, if they can consider the light rail, those are great options,” she said. “If they can travel earlier in the day or later in the day, if they can postpone that travel until we get that second lane open. It will be better but there will still be significant traffic impacts.”

Sullivan: Why do so many people get freaked out at four-way stops?

Some alternate routes this weekend include State Route 99, State Route 509 or Interstate 405.

Weeknight lane and ramp closures will continue between Seattle and Tukwila through the fall.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will have crews working near Olive Way, installing a sign bridge and an electronic sign overnight. This is part of the Improve Mobility Project designed to improve traffic flow by adding a lane near Seneca Street and adding ramp meters at the Dearborn/Interstate 90 (I-90) and Cherry Street on-ramps.

More from Nate Connors: A bevy of traffic situations you need to be aware of this weekend

For the safety of contractors and drivers, all northbound lanes of Interstate 5 (I-5) will close at midnight and reopen by 4 a.m. Thursday. The closure is between I-90 and Olive Way, with lane reductions starting at 9 p.m. The northbound collector-distributor lanes will also be closed during these hours.

Drivers needing to access downtown Seattle should exit at Edgar Martinez Drive or take the exit to I-90 East and exit at Rainier Avenue.

The express lanes will remain open to allow drivers to continue north of downtown Seattle. WSDOT has plans to repeat this closure on Monday, March 25.

SR 520 East Ramp Closure

Drivers who use State Route (SR) 520 to access Redmond won’t be able to take the 148th Street Northeast ramp Wednesday evening. WSDOT will be upgrading drainage in Overlake and will need to close access to northbound 148th Street Northeast.

The closure begins at 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. Thursday. A detour will be in place.

More traffic: Lane sweeping is all too common and needs to stop

Later this spring, intermittent closures are planned at the interchange for landscaping.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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Background of the rescue: Samish ferry crew, Puget Sound Coast Guard rescue sinking boaters

The quick thinking and familiarity with the local waters were crucial in locating and assisting the distressed boat. The combined efforts of the ferry crew, the Coast Guard and even the passengers on board who were medical professionals, ensured that everyone involved was safe and received the care they needed. This incident highlights the importance of being prepared for any situation and the value of teamwork in overcoming challenging conditions.

The Washington State Ferry and United States Coast Guard worked in tandem to rescue a boat in distress on Saturday.

The 37-foot cabin cruiser was near Rosario Strait when a large wave pummeled their boat and shattered the front window, flooding the boat.

The ferry M/V Samish was in the area and able to reach the boat before the Coast Guard could get there. As the ferry approached the boat, Landau could see the passengers frantically scooping out water using a 5-gallon bucket.

Landau told KIRO Newsradio about the initial contact.

“So the way it went was we heard a distress call from them on the VHF radio, and it was loud and clear. And usually when we hear those, they’re far away, and it’s garbled, and you can barely hear them. But we kind of had an idea that this one was close by, and they were able to pass their position to the Coast Guard. But then apparently they took a wave through their windshield, and it soaked their VHF, and that was the last anybody heard from them on the radio,” he said.

Related news: New ferry boats in Washington at least four years away

The captain’s familiarity with the area proved vital in quickly locating the boat.

“The position they gave, we saw that that was kind of down by Bird rock out by Rosario Strait. So, our plan was to kind of head south to see if we could see them. Just as we got to the north end of James Island, we could see there was a boat approaching us, and that turned out to be them. Communications was a little difficult, because they didn’t have a radio and it was really windy. And we had to yell to them. And we did a big round turn. So we put them in our lee, we were blocking the wind for them. And then we launched a rescue boat,” he said.

And we’re able to ferry four of them over to our boat. And they were, you know, a little bit cut up from the broken glass and they were completely soaked. So our engineering crew was able to provide some warm, dry clothes for them, they cranked up the heat in the cabin, and our galley crew without being asked, they hopped to it and got some hot water bottles and hot drinks for them. And so we were able to take care of them and the mate who, you know, you can kind of think of as like a co pilot, he was down there assessing them for for injuries and hypothermia and so on. And then we also had a medical doctor who was just a passenger on board and a trauma nurse. And on our crew, we have a paramedic, retired paramedic, so we’re we’re able to take care of them pretty well. So that’s kind of how that went,” he continued.

Was this your first rescue operation?

“I guess so. It’s not the first time we’ve launched a rescue boat to check on somebody. But certainly at ferries, we’re pulling people out of the water all the time,” Landau said.

As Landau told us, the high wind conditions added to the difficulty of the rescue.

“So launching a rescue boat is just about the most dangerous thing that we do at ferries, putting a boat over the side with people in it. I’m very reluctant to operate the propulsion controls while we’re in that kind of transitionary state. We managed okay, but it was so windy that the Samish was being blown sideways, but the crew is so experienced that they were able to manage it,” he said.

He added that Washington State Ferry crews are trained for spontaneous missions.

“We drill weekly on fire, abandoned ship and rescue drill. So we do this every week. And we take it very seriously,” he said.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates

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The south portion of the bridge opened to traffic last fall as work shifts to the north end of the bridge as crews install the girders.

More on Wash. roads: Tolls increase on multiple highways, WSDOT repairing I-90’s expansion joint

How big are the bridge girders?

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) claimed if someone were to stack 10 girders vertically on top of each other, they would be as tall as the Columbia Center and Space Needle combined.

“Each girder is 168 feet long and weighs 191,000 pounds,” Kris Olsen, a communications manager with WSDOT, told KIRO Newsradio. “They’re big. After we placed the girders and we start building the bridge deck and adding the rebar that’s needed, we expect the bridge should be open and operational by the end of the summer.”

The project was initially set to be completed by the middle of 2023 before delays occurred, according to WSDOT.

But this milestone marks the final stretch of construction on the new bridge, which will be longer than the previous bridge while allowing plenty of room below for future collector-distributor lanes. The construction project will also widen sidewalks, add bike lanes and create a center turn lane.

I-5 shutdown for South 216th Street Bridge construction

“This requires Interstate 5 (I-5) to be shut down this weekend,” Olsen said. “We need to put two big cranes on the lanes to set these girders. So on Friday night, we’ll close the southbound lanes and we’ll lift five girders into place. Then on Saturday night, we’ll close the northbound lanes and we’ll set those five girders into place.”

Chris Sullivan on Wash. roads: Please don’t pull this jerk move on the road

Friday night the southbound lanes close at South 200 Street, including the on-ramp. Saturday night work shifts to the northbound lanes closing at State Route 516. Both nights, I-5 will close at 10 and all lanes and ramps reopen the following morning by 6 a.m.

“What people need to remember however, and this is really important, is our lane closures start at 8 p.m.,” Olsen added. “You’re just going to start seeing those backups and they will persist. The best advice that I have is to take alternate routes. Consider 167 or take 99.”

Drivers can still commute I-5 both nights through a detour. Travelers should just be prepared for heavy congestion.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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During these hours, the I-405 ramps to I-90 east will also close with detours in place.

From March 8-10, WSDOT crews plan to close all lanes of I-90 east at East Mercer Way. This location has had a single lane closed for weeks after a failing expansion joint was discovered in January.

Chokepoints: Failing expansion joint continues to plague I-90 on Mercer Island

Next weekend, crews will narrow lanes and shoulders to allow room for a fourth lane. The far right lane will remain closed until next year when crews can replace the expansion joint.

Beginning March 8, all lanes of I-90 east will close between Seattle and Mercer Island. This includes the I-5 north and south ramps to I-90 east in Seattle.

The following exits are also expected to be closed:

• Rainier Avenue South north and south to I-90 east in Seattle.
• 80th Avenue Southeast ramp to I-90 east HOV lane.
• Island Crest Way to I-90 east.
• Mercer Island residents will have access to I-90 east via the East Mercer Way on-ramp.

All lanes are set to reopen at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 10.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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Here are the details of the roadwork:

Montlake Lid Underlid Lighting Tests

• Crews will be working below the new Montlake Lid, conducting tests on the underlid lighting.
• On East Roanoke Street, they will tear up old pavement, install new utilities, and repave the area.
• A small section of roadway between East Montlake Place and East Louisa Street will be closed during this work.

520 Trail Remains Open

• The 520 Trail will remain open throughout the weekend.
• Closures will begin on Friday night at 10 p.m., with all lanes reopening on Monday morning by 6 a.m.

Chokepoints: Failing expansion joint continues to plague I-90 on Mercer Island

State Route 518 Access to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

• Drivers from the south end heading to the airport on Saturday night won’t have access to State Route 518
• Instead, they can exit at Orillia Road, take a right on International Boulevard, and follow it straight to the airport entrance.

Southbound I-405 Lane Closure

• During this time, southbound I-405 will close a single left lane between Interurban Avenue South and SR518.

SR518 Fly-Over Off-Ramp Work:

• Crews are working on expansion joints on the SR518 fly-over off-ramp.
• The ramp is set to reopen on Sunday morning by 6 a.m., with further work scheduled for next weekend.

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State Route 529 Snohomish River Bridge Closure:

• In Everett, the northbound lanes of the State Route 529 Snohomish River Bridge will close on Sunday.
• This is part of a lengthy bridge rehabilitation project.
• The work includes concrete deck repairs, steel bridge painting, and seismic retrofitting to protect the bridges from years of corrosion damage and prolong their longevity.

These roadwork projects are essential for maintaining and improving our transportation infrastructure. Please plan your travel accordingly and consider alternate routes if needed. For real-time updates, visit the SR 520 Construction Corner. Safe travels! 🚗🛣️

Nate Conners covers traffic and transportation for KIRO Newsradio.

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This will shut down all westbound lanes of 520 near the interchange between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  Also, the westbound 520 on ramp to southbound 405 will close during these hours to allow crews to work safely.

Drivers needing to continue through Bellevue will have a detour.  If you are needing to access southbound 405, drivers should consider I-90.

Next week this same closure is scheduled in the eastbound direction of 520.  Work is weather dependent and with scattered showers in the forecast, this could be delayed.

Nate Conners covers traffic and transportation for KIRO Newsradio.

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This weekend is another full closure of Montlake Boulevard between East Hamlin and East Louisa streets.  Drivers on SR520 won’t be able to access Montlake Boulevard as all ramps will be closed.  Drivers who travel on eastbound 520 from Seattle will be forced to pay the toll to cross Lake Washington, as the only exit before the lake is Montlake Boulevard.

The 520/Montlake Project aims to open the Montlake Lid later this year, with no exact date specified.  In the meantime, commuters are getting used to a constant flow of closures and lane reductions in the area.

This weekend’s closure will include work on traffic signals, wire installation, pavement repair, and removing an existing power pole.  Pedestrians and cyclists will have access across SR520.  Drivers will need to plan on alternate routes.

The closure ends on Monday at 5 a.m.

Other news: WSP recommends charges for protesters who shut down I-5 in Seattle

Revive I-5

The third consecutive weekend of Revive I-5 shifts to the three left lanes between the Boeing Access Road and MLK Junior Way.  This leaves two lanes open and the on and off ramps at MLK Junior Way.

Lane reductions allow crews to continue working without shutting down the freeway.  Weekend work helps keep the project on schedule.

During the past two weekends, WSDOT replaced 72 concrete panels, producing a smoother surface for commuters.

Work has shifted to the northbound lanes of I-5 starting in Tukwila.  Until contract work is complete in the southbound direction, weeknight lane and ramp closures will continue in both directions into the fall of 2024.

Nate Conners covers traffic and transportation issues for KIRO Newsradio.

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“We’ve got about a couple months worth of lane reductions coming to overnight,” Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) spokesperson Marcus Humberg said. “The whole point of this closure is to really kind of move on to three bridges we’re building here.”

WSDOT reported it has already built a four-lane bridge across Lake Creek, one across Raging River and one over Deep Creek.

“They need to put in some pilings alongside the road. And that’s going to require a lane reduction for the construction vehicles that are on the road to do that actual work,” Humberg explained. “And given there are only two lanes in that area, we’re going to have to take one lane for construction that leaves one lane for traffic, and that traffic will have to alternate east and westbound. One at a time with a pilot car kind of guiding everybody through the construction zone.”

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Humberg added that drivers can expect up to 20-minute delays between Deep Creek and Lake Creek, which is a mile-and-a-half apart. Closures are Sunday through Thursday, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

According to Bob Van Horn, assistant project engineer with WSDOT, this project has another year before total completion.

“I think they really want to get traffic on them by early 2025. But that’s up in the air. There are a lot of things that have to happen between now and then to get that going. But when we do get traffic on the new bridges, there’s still some work to do below the bridges in the creek.”

Right now, the project is on schedule, according to Van Horn.

“So the work that’s been going on specifically has kind of been going in phases,” Humberg said. “They started just south of the intersection at I-90 and built a four-lane bridge across Deep Creek, and then they’ve been pushing the widening down toward the bridge at Raging River. So it’s kind of these bridges that are that essential piece that links everything together.”

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Humberg explained that as workers are building the bridges, they are widening the lanes.

“We know that there’s been a lot of traffic, there’s been several incidents on that freeway, up and over SR 18. And we’ve been taking a lot of steps to try and protect the public, we’ve reduced speed limits in the area,” Humberg said. “You’ve got to give yourself enough time, you’ve got to give the construction workers some patience, you got to follow those posted speed limits and really slow down in the construction zones.”

This project is vital to alleviate the growing traffic volumes. Recent numbers show there are roughly 28,000 daily commuters over Tiger Mountain.

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Revive I-5, an umbrella of dozens of preservation projects for I-5 in King and Snohomish Counties, aims to smooth the surface by replacing concrete panels and expansion joints. The construction project will also grind down any ruts to preserve the lifespan for decades to come.

More on road closures: Nightly ramp closures to affect drivers in Kirkland, Shoreline, more

Most of this work occurs overnight on weekdays, but some work is scheduled on certain weekends — this weekend being one of them.

“We’re actually starting on our second weekend-long lane reduction coming this weekend,” Amy Moreno, communications consultant with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), told KIRO Newsradio. “That means we’re going down to two southbound lanes open for the weekend. This is a significant traffic situation that people are going to want to be aware of.”

Right now, it’s just a small section being worked on, between Boeing Access Road to the WA-900 and Martin Luther King Jr Way S. intersection.

“That off-ramp is closed, but the on-ramp is going to be open. That’s different than how it was two weeks ago when we had our first weekend-long lane reductions,” Moreno said. “This project gives us a chance to just try and improve the surface of the road.

“This whole section of I-5, we’ve gotten significant complaints from people who talk about how bumpy the roadway is,” Moreno continued. “Drive down and you can see that this part of I-5 needed a little TLC. So we’re getting out there, we’re doing some rehab work and, with the areas we’ve already worked on, you can see the difference. It’s a much smoother drive. A much better drive for people.”

Overall, the project has about 13-weekend closures in the project contract, according to WSDOT.

More from Nate Connors: SDOT filled 25,000 potholes in 2023, most in five years

“They’re going to be spread out between now and the fall,” Moreno added. “We’re planning to work the next couple of weekends and then there will be a short break. It’ll probably be off and on through the spring and summer.”

WSDOT advises drivers should consider alternate routes this weekend or plan on delays. This work is weather-dependent and could be postponed due to extreme conditions.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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SDOT claimed they typically see between 15,000 and 25,000 potholes annually throughout Seattle with a spike during the winter months.

“The reason why the winters are especially tough is when water gets down to the pavement and then freezes that water actually expands when it turns into ice so the ice will force the pavement apart,” SDOT Spokesperson Ethan Bergersen told KIRO Newsradio.

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With Seattle’s weather comes potholes. In 2017, SDOT filled more than 35,000 potholes, the most since 2011. The average amount of potholes the city has seen between 2011-2023 is 20,650. Last year’s 25,000 was tied for the third most filled in that stretch.

“Weather is a big factor in the variation from year to year,” Bergersen added. “Last year’s number was high because of the freezing rain and because our crews spent the time to patrol major roads looking for potholes.”

As heavy vehicles drive over damaged pavement after a storm, new potholes can keep showing up months later.

“Repairs we make in the winter don’t last forever because asphalt does not bind to the surrounding pavement as well during cold weather,” SDOT wrote. “So potholes we fill today might come back and need to be fixed again in the future.”

Bergersen stressed that the department can’t fix potholes if SDOT doesn’t know about them. The public can call (206) 684-ROAD to report them, or use the city’s “Find It, Fix It” smartphone app to identify potholes and other issues — including lost pets, dead animals, graffiti, needles, public litter or dumping, overgrown vegetation and more. For potholes specifically, Seattle’s “Pothole Rangers” are subsequently sent to the location and fix it within three days.

In comparison, Baltimore just announced that it just filled 92,384 potholes last year, but Bergersen stated it’s very hard to compare one city’s situation to another.

More from Nate Connors: Nightly ramp closures to affect drivers in Kirkland, Shoreline, more

“It’s difficult to make apples-to-apples comparisons because every city has a different number of roads under their jurisdiction,” Bergersen said. “Even if a city has a similar population or land area, their roads may not cover the same land area because they aren’t concentrated in the same way or have different numbers of lanes.”

For a map of all the potholes that have been filled over the last 90 days, click here. For a map of potholes currently on SDOT’s to-do list, click here.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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