Workers will close a busy section of 124th Avenue Northeast near Northup Way for two weeks as part of an effort to reduce long-standing traffic congestion near ramps leading to and from SR 520.

The closure will run around-the-clock for two weeks beginning at 6 a.m., Oct. 5, and ending at 6 p.m., Oct. 19.

There will be no through traffic allowed from Northup Way, and local access to 124th Avenue Northeast will be from the Bel-Red Road intersection only.

The detour routes for northbound and southbound traffic will be on 120th Avenue Northeast and on 130th Avenue Northeast.

Closure of 124th Avenue Northeast will be in both directions from Northup Way south for several hundred feet to the entrance of the Metro bus base at 1974 124th Avenue Northeast.

The purpose of the closure is to finish widening and raising the roadway and to repave the entire stretch as part of the $3.6-million Northup Way Corridor project.

The project, due to be completed in early 2010, will add an eastbound lane on Northup Way between 120th and 124th avenues Northeast; a left-turn lane from eastbound Northup Way to the SR 520 on-ramp; and a right-turn lane on northbound 124th Avenue.

Other changes include the addition of new curbs, gutters and sidewalks, traffic signal modifications, retaining walls, storm drainage improvements and landscaping.

Sometime after completion of the Northup Way Corridor project the state Department of Transportation plans to improve the transition from northbound I-405 to eastbound SR 520, and the exit from SR 520 to 124th Avenue Northeast.