Drivers on eastbound Interstate 90 between Mercer Island and Bellevue should prepare for significant delays starting Thursday night as lanes will be reduced for bridge repair work.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will reduce eastbound I-90 to three lanes between Island Crest Way and Bellevue Way, with further reductions to one lane on specific nights, as part of a project to replace aging expansion joints on the East Channel Bridge.
Nights where the stretch will be reduced to one lane include Thursday, September 18 at 8 p.m. to Friday, September 19 at 9 a.m., as well as an additional night sometime between Wednesday, September. 24 and Friday, September 26.
“There are alternate routes that are tolled such as 520,” said James Poling from WSDOT. “There’s also the option of going around the lake either to the north or south side.”
The lane reductions are expected to add up to 20 minutes to morning commutes and more than 30 minutes during peak evening rush hours.
The project, which aims to install a new expansion joint, is considered a safety measure to prevent further delays due to potential joint failures.
Expect traffic on Mercer Island too. The eastbound I-90 on-ramp from East Mercer Way will close during the first half of the project (and on the final night too). The HOV on-ramp from 80th Street will also close during the project.
WSDOT reports that approximately 75,000 vehicles travel eastbound on this stretch of I-90 daily, underscoring the potential impact on traffic flow.
As the I-90 bridge repair project commences, drivers are advised to plan for alternate routes or adjust travel times to mitigate delays.
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