The United States Issues Urgent Travel Advisory For Seattle As Massive I-5 Infrastructure Revamp Brings Total Northbound Shutdowns, Prolonged Congestion, And Delays For Millions Of Drivers And Ferry Commuters

Saturday, July 19, 2025

The United States is bracing for terrible recreation disruption successful Seattle erstwhile nan Washington State Department of Transportation kicks disconnected an fierce shape of its Revive I-5 project, starring to afloat closure of nan road and 24/7 lane reductions which will snarl 1 of nan West Coast’s busiest waste and acquisition passes. This captious assemblage of northbound Interstate 5, betwixt downtown Seattle and cardinal neighborhoods, ferry docks and intercity connections, will spot full closures and semipermanent lane reductions from mid-July to August, and beyond. As nan area’s awesome north-south freeway, I-5 is captious not conscionable for section commuters, but for location travelers to and from Seattle’s main destination ferry terminals. The awesome changes — which see long-weekend closures, 24/7 two-lane recreation crossed nan Ship Canal Bridge, and nan imperishable closure of postulation diversion lanes from nan definitive lanes — will snarl traffic. The activity is basal to hole degrading pavement and nutrient semipermanent safety, yet comes astatine nan tallness of nan summertime recreation play – further affecting ferry access, airdrome connections and interstate recreation crossed Washington.

Seattle Braces for Major I-5 Disruptions arsenic Revive I-5 Roadwork Intensifies Through Mid-August

Travelers readying to thrust done Seattle connected Interstate 5—especially those headed to aliases from ferry terminals—should hole for important postulation delays arsenic nan Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) launches a caller shape of its Revive I-5 infrastructure project. Beginning this play and continuing done mid-August, a bid of closures and lane reductions will importantly effect northbound postulation and perchance origin congestion successful some directions.

What to Expect This Weekend and Beyond

The disruption kicks disconnected astatine 11:59 p.m. connected Friday, July 18, erstwhile all northbound lanes of I-5 betwixt Interstate 90 and Northeast 45th Street will beryllium wholly unopen down. This afloat closure will stay successful spot until 5 a.m. connected Monday, July 21, marking nan commencement of an extended postulation slowdown crossed 1 of nan astir heavy traveled road sections successful nan Pacific Northwest.

Immediately pursuing nan play closure, lane reductions will beryllium enforced 24/7 connected northbound I-5 complete nan Ship Canal Bridge from Monday, July 21 done Thursday, August 15. Only two lanes will stay unfastened successful this captious corridor, drastically reducing capacity and expanding congestion.

Another full northbound play closure is besides planned for the nighttime of August 15 done nan greeting of August 18, compounding delays for travelers during nan engaged summertime recreation season.

Northbound Express Lanes Operate Full-Time During Construction

To thief alleviate unit connected nan mainline highway, WSDOT has announced that I-5 definitive lanes will run northbound 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for nan afloat long of nan construction. This accommodation is expected to supply immoderate alleviation for commuters, though it will not afloat offset nan delays caused by reduced entree connected nan superior roadway.

Despite nan attraction connected northbound lanes, southbound I-5 postulation will besides beryllium affected, arsenic congestion and delays often spill complete during specified large-scale infrastructure projects. The operation of ongoing summertime travel, section events, and ferry terminal connections whitethorn lead to wide backups passim nan Seattle metropolitan area.

Tips for Navigating nan I-5 Disruptions

WSDOT is urging each drivers—especially those walking to aliases from Seattle’s awesome ferry terminals specified arsenic Colman Dock and Fauntleroy—to return proactive steps to debar vexation and missed departures. With nan anticipation of lengthy backups and slower recreation times, proscription officials urge nan pursuing strategies:

• Allow for further recreation time. Expect longer drives to scope ferry terminals aliases your last destination crossed nan city.
• Monitor real-time postulation reports utilizing apps, navigation systems, aliases WSDOT’s charismatic postulation alerts earlier heading out.
• Plan alternate routes to bypass nan astir congested areas of I-5. Arterial roads, I-405, and SR 99 whitethorn connection much reliable options depending connected nan clip of day.
• Use nationalist proscription aliases rideshare services to trim conveyance measurement connected nan freeway and simplify terminal access.
• Adjust your recreation schedule to debar highest postulation hours and dispersed retired request crossed little congested periods.
• Check nan Revive I-5 task website for elaborate detour maps, updates, and charismatic notices arsenic caller phases of nan task are rolled out.

Why nan Revive I-5 Project Matters

The ongoing Revive I-5 task is portion of a semipermanent effort to upgrade captious sections of aging interstate infrastructure successful nan Seattle area. This agelong of I-5, primitively built successful nan 1960s, has been showing signs of important wear, including cracks successful description joints, worn actual surfaces, and drainage issues. Through afloat closures and lane reductions, WSDOT intends to transportation retired actual sheet replacements, description associated repairs, aboveground grinding, and different upgrades to amended information and widen nan life of this captious roadway.

While nan contiguous effect is inconvenience, nan longer-term extremity is simply a much resilient and smoother corridor for nan hundreds of thousands of regular commuters, motortruck drivers, and ferry passengers who trust connected this route.

Summer Travel and Ferry Impact

The building schedule coincides pinch Seattle’s busiest summertime recreation period, erstwhile some location and out-of-state visitors crowd nan city’s highways and ferry docks. Those utilizing ferry services betwixt Seattle and destinations specified arsenic Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, aliases Vashon Island should beryllium particularly vigilant successful monitoring recreation times and readying accordingly.

As travelers make their measurement done nan metropolis complete nan coming weeks, patience, flexibility, and real-time accusation will beryllium basal devices to successfully navigate nan anticipated disruptions.

Key Dates astatine a Glance

• July 18–21: Full northbound I-5 closure betwixt I-90 and NE 45th Street
• July 21–August 15: Continuous two-lane regularisation connected northbound I-5 complete Ship Canal Bridge
• August 15–18: Another afloat northbound I-5 play closure

To enactment up of nan delays, sojourn nan Revive I-5 task page connected nan WSDOT website and motion up for alerts tailored to your recreation route.

I-5 will beryllium unopen down and it’s going to beryllium nan eventual headache: Significant impacts to WSF, summertime recreation will hap arsenic captious activity and reduced lanes commencement successful Seattle — nan United States’ first. The Revive I-5 task is an effort to hole aging infrastructure — but it comes pinch wide delays done mid-August.