SR 520 Drivers At Montlake West Bound Off Ramp Required To Stop Starting Monday At New Intersection

The Laurelhurst Community Club would like to remind all SR520 that there will be a new off ramp as you exit going westbound onto Montlake Boulevard  beginning on Monday, August 10th.

LCC said:

The new SR 520 West Approach Bridge North (WABN) design has 2 exit lanes, but they will now both be required to STOP at a traffic signal when it joins Montlake Boulevard. There is no longer a "free right" turn.

For the record, LCC has opposed the elimination of the free right turn at the signal as causing potential wasteful back ups onto the off ramps, but SDOT and WSDOT did what they wanted to do, and ignored our advice.  

We alternately suggested a signalized red signal to be activated for  biker or pedestrian when they wanted to cross, instead of an arbitrary wait for a red light. 

Thanks for letting neighbors know about the new configuration.

Here is a construction update sent out from the SR 520 West Approach Bridge North (WABN) construction project:

Upcoming August highway closures of SR 520 Weekend of Aug. 7 to 10 Crews will work during the weekend of Aug. 7 to 10 to connect a new westbound SR 520 off-ramp to a realigned intersection at Montlake Boulevard.    11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, to 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9:  The existing westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard will be permanently closed. All westbound traffic to Montlake between 11 p.m. Friday and 11 p.m. Sunday will exit SR 520 at the westbound off-ramp to Lake Washington Boulevard.    11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10: All westbound lanes and ramps of SR 520 will be closed from 92nd Avenue Northeast to Montlake Boulevard. Drivers must use alternative routes to travel westbound across Lake Washington.    At 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 10, crews will open all westbound  lanes and the new westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard. This work can only occur when the ramp and highway are closed to traffic because crews have to break up pavement on the existing westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard in order to reconfigure a new T-intersection to Montlake Boulevard. Nearby neighbors may hear and feel construction activities. Crews will use construction best management practices and work under a city of Seattle temporary noise variance to complete this work.   Pedestrian detour on Montlake Boulevard Beginning this weekend, crews will close the sidewalk on the east side of Montlake Boulevard from East Hamlin Street to the westbound SR 520 off-ramp to Montlake Boulevard. To reach your destination safely, please use the crosswalks at East Lake Washington Boulevard and East Shelby Street to cross to the west side of Montlake Boulevard.  This pedestrian detour will be in place for two to three weeks while crews finish construction activities around the new intersection at Montlake Boulevard and SR 520’s westbound off-ramp. Access to the westbound and eastbound SR 520 Montlake freeway transit stops will be maintained.  Key differences to expect at the new intersection on Monday morning A second right-turn lane for vehicles turning north onto Montlake Boulevard. A traffic signal at the intersection of the westbound SR 520 off-ramp and northbound Montlake Boulevard. Drivers will not be permitted to turn right on red from the westbound off-ramp. A signalized crosswalk for walkers and bikers.

 

 

 

To sign up for WABN email updates:

• Visit our website.
• Enter your email.
• Select the alert called “SR 520 West Approach Bridge North Project” from the subscription list (under the “Construction Reports”).