Starting Dec. 12 and lasting into June of 2012, Seattle's Department of Transportation will begin work to strengthen the Fauntleroy Expressway to better hold up to earthquakes. SDOT says nightime closures (from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. will start next week, with the possibility of "additional ramp closures" and weekend closures in the future.

Here are the full details from SDOT:

Fauntleroy Expressway Nighttime Closures to Start December 12

Work by SDOT to seismically strengthen structure

Starting next week, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will begin the first of a series of nighttime closures to strengthen and seismically retrofit the Fauntleroy Expressway to better withstand an earthquake. These closures are scheduled to begin the week of December 12th and continue regularly until the project’s completion in June 2012. Future closures will include additional ramp closures and may also occur on weekends, though none are scheduled at this time.

The first set of closures will begin the evening of December 12th through 14th. The closure will begin each night at 9:00 p.m. and reopen the next morning at 5:00 a.m. During this week of evening closures the following detours will be in effect:

Westbound motorists traveling to West Seattle via the West Seattle Bridge will be directed to use the Delridge Way Southwest off-ramp.

Eastbound motorists on Fauntleroy Way Southwest will be detoured at Southwest Avalon Way and will be directed to the SW Spokane Street entrance to the West Seattle Bridge under the Fauntleroy Expressway.

For information on changes to bus service, look for Rider Alert notices at bus stops, visit Metro Online at www.kingcounty.gov/metro or call (206) 553-3000.

This work will enable the expressway to better withstand an earthquake and will reduce the chance of structural failure. Completing this project is necessary to maintain a safe and reliable transportation corridor. This project is funded by the City’s Bridging the Gap program, a nine-year levy passed by Seattle voters in November 2006 for transportation maintenance and improvements.

For more information on this work, visit SDOT’s project site at: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bridge_rehab_fauntleroy.htm