press release:
With the project approximately 95 percent finished, major elements of the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project are nearing completion. The combination westbound on/off ramp at First Avenue S and S Spokane Street will open to motorists next Friday morning, August 31. The on-ramp provides the only westbound access to the viaduct and the West Seattle Bridge from SODO, and its opening will eliminate the need for SODO motorists to take the detour across the low level swing bridge.

The old westbound off-ramp at Fourth Avenue S and on-ramp at First Avenue S had to be closed and demolished to make room for the widened viaduct structure.

Construction activity on the upper viaduct deck is also nearing completion, with the permanent barrier between east and westbound traffic installed. Westbound motorists are now traveling in the final lane configurations and the eastbound on-ramp from Harbor Island has reopened.

The most significant and visible work yet to be completed is the repaving of the eastbound off-ramp at First Avenue and the intersection with S Spokane Street at the bottom of that ramp. As such, the off-ramp remains closed until late September. North/south traffic on First Avenue in the construction area has been reduced to one lane in each direction, while the northbound lanes will be fully closed for three nights during the last week of August.

Calendar of Upcoming Project Traffic Impacts:

Through the end of September – The eastbound First Avenue S off-ramp and eastbound Spokane surface roadway between East Marginal Way S and First Avenue S are closed around the clock for repaving.

Thursday, August 23

· The eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct between SR99 and I-5 will be closed overnight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday morning. All traffic on the West Seattle Bridge will be detoured to northbound SR99. Traffic wishing to continue further east will be diverted to the lower Spokane roadway in West Seattle.

· East Marginal Way S will be closed to both north and southbound traffic at S Spokane Street overnight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday morning. Both directions of traffic will be detoured around the closure. The southbound to westbound movement will be maintained at the intersection.

Tuesday, August 28 – Thursday, August 30

· The northbound travel lanes of First Avenue S at S Spokane Street will be closed each of these nights from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. Northbound traffic will be detoured at S Spokane Street to Fourth Avenue S.

Thursday, August 30

The westbound off-ramp to Harbor Island from the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed over night from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday morning.