Motorists should plan ahead
Over the next three days there are a few events and construction that could impact motorists if they don’t plan ahead. Tomorrow morning, there’ll be extra heavy traffic on I-5 particularly at the Mercer off-ramps and on the Mercer corridor as some 15,000 students begin arriving for the We Day Seattle event being held at the Key Arena. Tomorrow through Sunday the CenturyLink Field Event Center will be a hub of activities with the Northwest Women’s Show. On Sunday, some 6,000 participants will raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society when they participate in the Big Climb up the Columbia Center’s 69 flights of stairs. For more about these events and key weekend construction, please see the following details.
Friday, March 21
We Day Seattle: 9 AM – 2:30PM;
Key Arena, Seattle Center
15,000 participants
200+ school buses and numerous private vehicles will be transporting students to and from event. Expect heavy congestion along the Mercer corridor during the morning and afternoon commute; and expect heavier than normal congestion on I-5 during the commute.
For more information, please visit: http://www.weday.com/we-day-events/we-day-cities/seattle/
Friday, March 21 – Sunday, March 23
Northwest Women’s Show: Fri: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sun: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
CenturyLink Field Event Center
10,000 attending over three days
Expect some congestion on streets surrounding CenturyLink Field.
For more information please visit: http://nwwomenshow.com/
Sunday, March 23
28th Annual Big Climb: All day event
Columbia Center
6,000 participants
Expect heavier traffic coming and going from the Columbia Center parking lot and on surrounding streets throughout the day.
For more information please see: http://www.llswa.org/site/PageNavigator/SeattleBigClimb/Home.html
I-5 Closures
10 p.m. Friday, March 21 until 5 a.m. Monday, March 24
The northbound I-5 collector-distributor will be reduced to a single lane between I-90 and Madison Street for bridge expansion joint replacement.
Drivers on northbound I-5 will not be able to connect with ramps to James and Madison Streets, but can still use the South Dearborn Street off-ramp.
The South Dearborn Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 will be closed.
The northbound I-5 on-ramp from Edgar Martinez Drive South will be closed.
The ramp from westbound I-90 to northbound I-5 will be open, but severe backups are expected.
The northbound mainline lanes will not be affected other than higher than normal traffic volumes are expected.
8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23
The Mercer Street on-ramps to north and southbound I-5 will be closed while crews working for the City of Seattle install traffic detection equipment.
SR 99 Closures
11 p.m. Friday, March 21 until 10 a.m. Saturday, March 22
All southbound lanes of SR 99 will be closed between Valley and Thomas Streets for setting of girders as part of the Mercer Corridor project.
4:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday, March 22
All lanes of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed between South Spokane Street and the Battery Street Tunnel for bridge inspection.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23
The intersection of Broadway and E Madison Street will be closed during work on overhead wires as part of the First Hill Streetcar project.
Contact: Peg Nielsen, 206.684.8114
