The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) reminds travelers that Mercer Street will open to two-way traffic on Monday, August 27, following the full weekend closure of the I-5 on- and off-ramps at Mercer Street on August 24-27.

Full weekend closure of I-5 on- and off-ramps at Mercer Street August 24-27

A full weekend closure of the I-5 on-and off-ramps at Mercer Street is scheduled to occur this Friday, August 24, at 11:00 p.m. and end Monday, August 27, at 5:00 a.m. During the closure, crews will complete the final work necessary for opening Mercer Street to two-way traffic.

Beginning Wednesday, August 22, crews will conduct preliminary work to prepare for opening Mercer Street to two-way traffic following the full weekend closure. Travelers can expect the following lane restrictions leading up to the full weekend closure:

• August 22-23, Broad Street will have a single lane closed to accommodate median demolition and asphalt paving. The closure will be in effect beginning Wednesday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m. through Thursday, August 23, at 3:00 p.m. One lane on Broad Street will remain open at all times.
• August 22-24, Mercer Street will have intermittent single lane restrictions to complete lane striping. Lane restrictions will begin at 7:00 p.m. each evening and end at 6 a.m. the following morning.
• August 23-24, Mercer Street will have a single lane closed between Boren Avenue N and the Mercer Street I-5 on-ramps to accommodate median work near Fairview Avenue N. The closure will be in effect beginning Thursday, August 23, at 7:00 p.m. through Friday, August 24, at 11:00 p.m., when the full weekend ramp closure will commence.

Mercer Street opens to two-way traffic; Stage 3 Fairview Avenue N restrictions begin August 27

Mercer Street will open to two-way traffic immediately following the full weekend closure of the I-5 on- and off-ramps at Mercer Street. The new roadway will then accommodate three lanes of westbound traffic that will travel straight off the I-5 off-ramps. Eastbound Mercer Street will maintain three lanes onto the I-5 on-ramps, in addition to a left turn lane onto northbound Fairview Avenue N as well as travel across Fairview Avenue N that allows eastbound access to Eastlake and Capitol Hill.

Stage 3 of the Mercer Corridor Project commences when Mercer Street is opened to two-way traffic and will include severe restrictions on Fairview Avenue N.  Roadway users will see:

• One northbound travel lane on Fairview Avenue N between Harrison and Valley streets
• No access to Fairview Avenue N via Republican Street and no southbound access onto Fairview Avenue N at the I-5 off-ramps at Mercer Street
• One southbound lane on Fairview Avenue N from Aloha Street that connects to westbound Valley Street
• Valley Street closed to eastbound traffic east of Terry Avenue N
• Access maintained to Lake Union Park and businesses in Chandler’s Cove:

This temporary configuration will be maintained during Stage 3 of construction as crews complete work on Fairview Avenue N and Valley Street.  The work includes: undergrounding of electrical distribution, transmission and communication lines; replacement or relocation of water, sewer and storm drainage systems; relocation of gas lines; widening of Fairview Avenue N ; and the installation of new pavement, sidewalks, signals, lighting, signage, intelligent transportation systems, landscaping and urban design features. Stage 3 is anticipated to continue through early 2013.

Detour information available for Stage 3 construction

Detour maps illustrating two-way traffic flow on Mercer Street as well as the Fairview Avenue N restrictions are available online for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists at www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm.

Impacts to transportation services

Due to upcoming construction on Fairview Avenue N, King County Metro Transit will temporarily reroute Routes 70/71/72/73, 83 and 309 beginning at 11:00 p.m. Friday, August 24. Buses will shift their routes off of Fairview Avenue N and travel instead on Eastlake Avenue N. A map of the reroute plan is online.

Also note that, unlike past weekend ramp closures, this closure will require the Seattle Streetcar to be shut down in order to accommodate the opening of Mercer to two-way operations and move the project into its next stage. This will begin on Friday evening at 11:00 p.m. and extend to Monday morning at 5:00 a.m.

For more information about the project’s purpose, benefits, and other information, visit its website at www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm.

If you need this information translated, please call (206) 733-9990. Si necesita traducir esta información al español, llame al (206) 733-9990.

Conact:  Richard Sheridan, 206.684.8114