The state officially kicked off its 2008 construction season this week, but in Bellevue it just means that two large projects still have months to go before they end.
The widening of I-405 between 112th Avenue Southeast and Southeast Eighth Street won’t be completed until fall of 2009, state officials say.
The $211 million project involves building one new southbound lane from Southeast Eights Street to I-90 and one northbound lane from 112th Avenue Southeast to Southeast Eighth Street; a new northbound structure over Coal Creek Parkway; and a new, three-lane, southbound bridge over I-90.
To the north, work continues on the Northeast 10th Street bridge crossing over I-405.
The $62.3 million project, set for completion in 2009, will provide improved access to the north end of downtown Bellevue, and relieve congestion at the Northeast Eighth Street interchange.
The city of Bellevue is constructing the first phase of the project on the east side of I-405 in the city’s hospital district. The state is working on the west side and the bridge over I-405.
In add, 77 projects are under construction in King County at a cost of $367 million.
Milestones have or will be reached on two other projects in the area.
This week crews set several girders on southbound I-405 at Oakesdale Avenue in Renton to widen the highway. The Tukwila to Bellevue section of I-405 is considered the worst highway bottleneck in the state.
When this project is complete, drivers will have an additional lane in each direction between I-5 and SR 169.
To keep track of possible construction congestion, the state advises motorists to:
– Check traffic Web pages for up-to-the minute road information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts/pugetsound.aspx
– Check construction pages, which deliver a day-by-day, hour-by hour accounting of what’s going on. Motorists can find their route and bookmark the pages important to them at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/King/Construction/
– Check traffic cameras and traffic maps on the Web to monitor traffic at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/
– Call 511 and watch for yellow flashing beacons that give people a heads up on construction or emergency lane closures.
