520 To Close Again Completely 2/10 Week-end

 WSDOT published this information:

In this update: Plan ahead! SR 520 and trail fully closing across Lake Washington weekend of Feb. 10 Construction Corner roundup

Plan ahead! SR 520 and trail fully closing across Lake Washington weekend of Feb. 10 SR 520 will be closed in both directions between I-5 in Seattle and 92nd Avenue Northeast on the Eastside from 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13. The SR 520 Trail and Foster Island Trail also will be closed. During this closure, crews will place girders for a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge across SR 520 and an HOV direct-access ramp to the Montlake lid.

520 Closed Friday To Monday 5am

 WSDOT published this information:

SR 520 and associated ramps closed Oct. 22-25 Heads up, travelers: Crews will work around the clock this weekend to remove the old Montlake Boulevard overpass and support structures. This removal over SR 520 will make room to build a new crossing and highway interchange. Crews will begin closing roads and ramps on Friday night, Oct. 22 and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 25. Please note, we originally planned to close Montlake Boulevard and the Montlake Bridge, but those roads will remain open this weekend. Check the Construction Corner as we fine tune the details for the moving parts of this weekend! Check the Construction Corner as we fine tune the details for the moving parts of this weekend. Between Friday night and Monday morning at 5 a.m., the following ramps and roads will be closed: Beginning at 8 p.m. on Friday: The on-ramp from Montlake Boulevard to eastbound SR 520 Beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday: All lanes of eastbound and westbound SR 520 between I-5 in Seattle and 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill All SR 520 on- and off-ramps to and from Montlake Boulevard and Lake Washington Boulevard The SR 520 Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians across Lake Washington Note: The trail under SR 520 to the Arboretum will be open Pedestrian and bike routes Pedestrians and bikes will be able to travel north and south on Montlake Boulevard and across the Montlake Bridge. For safety, please follow the marked path on Montlake Boulevard. The SR 520 Trail across Lake Washington will be closed, but the pedestrian and bike path under SR 520 to the Arboretum will be open. Noise and construction activity Nearby neighbors can expect to hear noise from activities such as overpass removal, paving, and truck traffic. We’ve received a Temporary Noise Variance (TNV) from the City of Seattle for this work. If you have any questions or concerns about these work activities, call the 24-hour hotline at 206-775-8885 so we can address them in the moment. How to reach us and stay informed about SR 520: Call the SR 520 Program information line (206-770-3554, M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) with general SR 520 inquiries. Email SR 520 staff with your questions about the project or construction activities. Visit the SR 520 Construction Corner for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts. Visit the SR 520 Program website to find general information about the project. Follow us on Twitter @wsdot_520 to get key news and updates about the SR 520 program. View current Montlake Project construction photos, taken continuously day and night, by mounted construction cameras

SR520 Construction Boating Restrictions

 WSDOT published this information:

Paddle safely this summer – boating restrictions around SR 520 construction With warmer weather upon us, we want to remind you to stay safe by staying out of our construction zones on Union Bay and Lake Washington. The map below shows the construction zone for work that will continue through 2023. Boaters and paddlers, please stay at least 100 feet from construction. Remember: The boating restrictions are active along the entire length of the construction zone and both sides of the bridge. Pay attention to signs posted at launch areas and within construction zones. Watch for changing conditions on the water. Always stay at least 100 feet away from construction activities. Safety is always our top priority. How to reach us and stay informed about SR 520 construction: Call the 24-hour construction hotline (206-775-8885) with pressing Montlake Project questions or concerns. Call the SR 520 Program information line (206-770-3554, M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) with general SR 520 inquiries. Email SR 520 staff with your questions about the project or construction activities. Visit the SR 520 Construction Corner for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts. Visit the SR 520 Program website to find general information about the project. Follow us on Twitter @wsdot_520 to get key news and updates about the SR 520 program. View current Montlake Project construction photos, taken continuously day and night, by mounted construction cameras

SR520 Closed This Week-end

 WSDOT published this information:

Eastbound SR 520 floating bridge closed this weekend

Eastbound SR 520 will be closed this weekend between Montlake Boulevard and the Eastside so crews can realign the traffic lanes. The westbound lanes will remain open all weekend.

What to expect:

• Eastbound SR 520 will close between Montlake Boulevard and 92nd Avenue Northeast from 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, through 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11.
• Eastbound traffic on SR 520 coming from I-5 must exit at Montlake Boulevard.
• The bicycle and pedestrian trail under SR 520 in Montlake will be closed.
• The on-ramp to westbound SR 520 from Montlake Boulevard to I-5 will remain open.
• Westbound SR 520 and the SR 520 Trail across Lake Washington will remain open.

What you may hear

Work this weekend will include pavement removal, excavation, trenching, vibratory compaction, asphalt paving, barrier anchoring, and the removal and placement of pavement striping. Nearby residents should expect increased noise coming from the work site. Crews will work around the clock to minimize traffic interruptions and protect the safety of workers and the traveling public. The contractor has received the necessary permits, including a temporary noise variance, from the city of Seattle, to complete this work. The variance allows nighttime work to exceed the noise limits granted under the project’s Major Public Projects Construction Noise Variance. Crews will strive to complete this work quickly and quietly.

Please call the 24-hour hotline at 206-775-8885 if you have concerns so we can address them quickly.

Jan. 13, first monthly meeting of 2021

Join us online Wednesday, Jan. 13, for our monthly meeting to learn about Montlake Project construction and participate in a Q&A with the project team. This month, we’ll focus on future girder installation for the Montlake lid, as well as ongoing construction of a new eastbound bridge.

• Date and time: Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 12:30 p.m.
• Register: http://bit.ly/SR520_Jan13_Meeting

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How to reach us and stay informed about SR 520 construction:

• Call the 24-hour construction hotline (206-775-8885) with pressing Montlake Project questions or concerns.
• Call the SR 520 Program information line (206-770-3554, M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) with general SR 520 inquiries.
• Email SR 520 staff with your questions about the project or construction activities.
• Visit the SR 520 Construction Corner for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts.
• Visit the SR 520 Program website to find general information about the project.
• Stop by in-person at the Montlake Project Information Center (2209 E. North St.). (Please note: The Information Center is currently closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak)
• Follow us on Twitter @wsdot_520 to get key news and updates about the SR 520 program.
• View current Montlake Project construction photos, taken continuously day and night, by mounted construction cameras

New Bike And Walking Route Under 520 Just Opened

Hayley, Senior Project Coordinator with SR520, sent the Laurelhurst Blog this information:

Thank you to the Laurelhurst community for your engagement during the SR 520 Montlake project. We are excited to share with you that we have now opened the new bike and pedestrian route between the SR 520 Trail and Lake Washington Boulevard.  

With this path, cyclists and pedestrians can get across SR 520 without using Montlake Boulevard, connecting the Arboretum with the University of Washington and the east side of Lake Washington. The shared-use trail is wide enough for pedestrians and bicyclists and includes lighting under SR 520. 

We hope the new route will improve your travel through the SR 520 Montlake project area during construction. Please feel free to reach out to us directly with your feedback!

WSDOT published this information:

The new, temporary shared-use connection between the SR 520 Trail and Lake Washington Boulevard is now open. This bicycle and pedestrian path runs parallel to the temporary on-ramp from Lake Washington Boulevard to eastbound SR 520 and dips under SR 520 along the shore of Lake Washington.

With this separated path, cyclists and pedestrians can go under SR 520 instead of using Montlake Boulevard, connecting the Arboretum with the University of Washington and the east side of Lake Washington. 

The temporary trail will be in place for the next few years of construction. At the end of the project, the temporary trail will be replaced by new connections and route options.

SR520 Lanes Reduced This Week-End

WSDOT published this information about westbound lanes being reduced from three to two lanes:  

From 11 p.m. Friday to Monday, Oct. 14, crews will close westbound SR 520 between 92nd Avenue Northeast on the eastside and Montlake Boulevard in Seattle.

All associated SR 520 on- and off-ramps will close between 92nd Avenue Northeast and Montlake Boulevard.

The SR 520 Trail will also close across Lake Washington between Seattle and the Evergreen Point lid in Medina.

Westbound transit users and drivers should use alternative routes. Crews will close westbound State Route 520 this weekend to reduce westbound lanes from three to two between the floating bridge and Montlake Boulevard. The weekend closure is part of a two-step approach to reduce and shift lanes so crews can create a new work zone in the Montlake area and build new eastbound lanes from Montlake Boulevard to the floating bridge. 

This weekend, the first step in the process, crews will close westbound SR 520 across Lake Washington. The weekend of Oct. 26-27, crews will close eastbound SR 520. Once the process is complete, the highway will be reduced from three lanes to two in each direction between Montlake Boulevard and the floating bridge, creating the new work zone.  

The work is part of the $455 million SR 520 Montlake Project that constructs new eastbound lanes between Montlake Boulevard and the new floating bridge, builds a new Montlake community-connecting lid and transit hub (pdf 9 mb), rebuilds the Montlake Boulevard interchange, and constructs a bike and pedestrian bridge over SR 520. 

During construction, the speed limit will reduce to 40 mph to keep travelers and workers safe through the mile-and-a-half work zone between the floating bridge and Montlake Boulevard . Construction, including various work-zone configurations in the Montlake area, is expected to last until early 2023. 

“We’re asking drivers to slow down and pay attention in this area,” said Dave Becher, SR 520 director of construction. “We know this is an inconvenience now, but when construction is complete, travelers will have three lanes in each direction all the way across Lake Washington and people will have use of a new lid over SR 520 in Seattle.” 

SR 520 will be back to the 2017 lane configuration.  Once the lane-reduction process is complete, SR 520 will have two lanes in each direction between west of the new floating bridge and Montlake Boulevard, with no HOV lanes. This will be the same configuration that existed in 2017 before the new westbound lanes west of the floating bridge opened. 

Besides creating a work zone to build a new lid in Seattle, crews are shifting eastbound traffic onto part of the newly built westbound lanes. This will create room to build the new eastbound lanes. The old eastbound lanes that travel over Lake Washington were built in the 1960s and are vulnerable to earthquakes. The new, higher-capacity eastbound lanes will be wider and have an HOV lane and shoulder, making for a safer and smoother eastbound trip to the Eastside.

For more information go here.  

Two SR520 Week-End Closures This Month

WSDOT published this information:

Two weekend closures of SR 520 coming in October, starting Oct. 12-13 Closures will shift all traffic between Montlake and floating bridge, with two lanes in each direction   Crews reconstructing State Route 520 will close the highway’s westbound and eastbound lanes across Lake Washington on separate weekends this month, the first coming Oct. 12-13. Following these closures, all SR 520 traffic will shift onto the new West Approach Bridge North, with two travel lanes in each direction. This configuration will last three to four years, allowing crews to remove SR 520’s 1960s-era west approach bridge over Union Bay, and then build a new bridge in its place. The new, seismically stronger bridge will carry three lanes of eastbound traffic from Montlake Boulevard East to the new floating bridge, with the West Approach Bridge North then reverting back to a three-lane, westbound-only structure. The October highway closures and traffic shifts will occur in two steps. Step 1: Oct. 11-14: Westbound SR 520 will close from 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, between 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill and Montlake Boulevard in Seattle. Westbound traffic will shift to its new configuration that Monday morning, with two general-purpose lanes and no transit/HOV lane for the approximately 1.5 miles between the floating bridge and Montlake. Crews will install concrete barrier down the middle of the West Approach Bridge North, and pave and stripe the roadway to create two lanes of traffic in both directions on the westbound bridge. Eastbound travelers may see crews breaking up concrete pavement, conducting electrical work and replacing directional signs. The SR 520 Trail across Lake Washington also will close for the weekend. Step 2: Oct. 25-28: Eastbound SR 520 will close from Montlake to the Eastside for this entire weekend. Crews will use this closure to move concrete barriers and pave and stripe the roadway to shift eastbound traffic onto the West Approach Bridge North. On Monday morning, Oct. 28, SR 520 will be reduced to two general-purpose lanes in each direction between Montlake and the floating bridge, with no transit/HOV lanes – similar to the highway’s configuration before the westbound bridge opened in 2017.

SR520 Traffic Closure Update

WSDOT published this information:

Montlake Project construction underway this week with nighttime off-ramp closures If you travel through Montlake on SR 520, you may have noticed more construction activity this week on the SR 520 Montlake Project. Just like any good home improvement project, crews are starting with an important first step: preparing the work site. What does this mean for you? If you have any nighttime journeys planned on SR 520, please be aware that the westbound SR 520 exit to Lake Washington Boulevard is closed nightly this week, through Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. In addition to the overnight ramp closures, this week you may see crews: Installing fencing, erosion control, and water-treatment facilities at the Montlake work site Removing trees and vegetation near SR 520 to allow construction of initial project elements Much of this work is to prepare for a major traffic shift (pdf 2.3 mb) later this fall, when crews will move eastbound traffic onto the West Approach Bridge North, which currently carries westbound-only traffic. This temporary shift will enable crews to replace the old, 1960s-era west approach bridge with a seismically stronger, three-lane bridge for eastbound-only SR 520 traffic. We expect the Montlake Project to last approximately four years. Over the course of the project, short-term closures of on- and off-ramps at Montlake Boulevard, as well as lane closures on SR 520, will be required. Crews will often work at night and on weekends to avoid disruptions to daytime commuters and provide a safer work zone for both workers and the travelling public. Our nighttime work will comply with the noise limits and operational requirements spelled out in a Major Public Project Construction Noise Variance granted by the city of Seattle.  Please visit and bookmark our SR 520 Construction Corner to find up-to-date information on SR 520 construction. The site includes an interactive construction map that shows the specific location and duration of near-term work, along with any associated road closures. The Construction Corner also describes our responsibilities and protocols for limiting the effects of our construction.

Update On Noisy Bridge Joints

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) recently published this information in their newsletter:

How to Fix Noisy Bridge Expansion Joints? 

Expansion joints on bridges and highways are essential for safety, but they also generate noise to nearby residents and adjacent public park users. The newest and most glaring example of loud noise up to 90 decibels is the SR520 floating bridge. 

To find the cause of the noise and target solutions, WSDOT received funding for a grant from the State Transportation budget for the University of Washington’s mechanical engineering department to conduct research. These findings will enable WSDOT to refine its best practices and construction specifications to prevent joint noise on future state-wide infrastructure projects. 

LCC trustee McAleer and former trustee Jean Amick attended the results presentation in February. With hands-on measurements devices, photo documentations, sound recordings and observation on the SR520 Bridge, UW engineers concluded that most of the noise is actually generated from “the top” of the expansion joints, and not from underneath the joints as presumed earlier. 

The noise is linked to the width of the tires hitting the air gaps between the fixed center beam metal parts on the expansion joint. This action is called Energy Spectural Density (EDS). The study found that the narrower the tire width, the more EDS, resulting in higher megahertz (high pitch) sounds. 

The UW team recommended two potential solutions to fill the air gaps that could be installed retroactively on the SR520 bridge – and potentially other similar state-wide bridges and highways – that could reduce the noise emitted by at least five to 10 decibels.  

One involves a plate system that may not withstand the motion stress of a floating structure; the other is insertion of a pre-compressed foam that deteriorates and requires continual maintenance. 

UW engineers propose to develop a new flexible sound-absorbing system to fill the air gaps and absorb the energy produced. They are requesting a funding grant, which would require approval in the 2019 State Legislative Session, to develop materials and testing.  

Please contact your legislators and urge them to allocate funds to improve the expansion joint systems. Contact: David.Frockt @leg.wa.gov and Gerry.Pollet@leg.wa.

Take The SR520 Bridge Replacement Survey

The Montlake Community Club invites the community to take their survey regarding the next phase of the SR520 Bridge Replacement Project. 

The survey is open through Friday and asks for the public's assessment of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT’s) public engagement concerning its construction plans, including views on saving the Montlake Market, as well as WSDOT’s adherence to the City Council’s 2015 Resolution 31611 in completing the design and construction details.  

Montlake Community Club website says:

Community leaders in Montlake, Portage Bay/Roanoke Park, N. Capitol Hill, Laurelhurst and Madison Park seek to assess WSDOT’s outreach, transparency and engagement with impacted neighborhoods.  

This is a community-driven survey, not to be confused with WSDOT’s recent Montlake Market Survey. Please help us collect this important data by filling out this survey.  

Results will be posted online and provided to the Seattle City Council, Mayor Durkan, State Legislators, and Governor Inslee, and WSDOT.

A Laurelhurst Community Club Board Member provided the Laurelhurst Blog with this report from the most recent WSDOT meeting:

• The design/build contract was awarded to Graham Construction, and they are currently working with WSDOT to refine key elements of the next phase which is the re-build of the Montlake Interchange. Construction will start in late 2019, and continue through 2024)
• The Montlake intersection to the south has both a gas station, and a market, which is on private land, and the adjacent communities would prefer a design that saves both amenities.

• The grassy lid will be built over the west portal and will have direct access ramps for bus and carpool transit, bike trails, and a transit station.
• New stormwater systems will capture run off and be purified to re-use  in the new park vegetation.
• A protected bike landbridge will be built over the new lid, connecting north and south  parts of the interchange form the Arboretum access to the Sound Transit station.
• Testing of the soil around the existing gas station and Montlake Market revels high levels of contaminants, which are normally associated with fuel stations, but WSDOT and/or land owner must remediate before construction or disturbance of the soil.
• A temporary ramp to connect vehicles entering SR520 from the south will be constructed to use while the lid and new expanded eastbound ramps are being built out.
• The meeting run by WSDOT was targeted to the Montlake community, and they asked for public feedback about the cost/benefits of three options for saving the Montlake Market. The gas station will be demolished because its property will be used in expanding the on-ramps to SR520 heading East (similar to now, just wider).
• Three options: 1) Preserve the building itself, but close its operation permanently, or possibly reopening it  later 2) Preserve market and operate it continuously during all construction impacts and 3) Remove the market building. Various cost and time savings associated with these scenarios were discussed, and despite the increase time and money, the comments from the audience expressed a strong desire to retain the building either for continuous operations (with more difficult access) during all phases of the project. The other popular option was to lease the parcel to WSDOT during construction, but then take it back and upgrade at the end of the project.  The contamination issue of the soil and groundwater was also discussed, and the public expressed concerns that the removal be done to EPA standards and protect existing surrounding soil and waterways.

Here is a post with the most recent information about the project:

The Market: The Fight Isn’t Over

At the end of January, WSDOT held a public meeting where the department presented new design plans that seek to preserve the Montlake Blvd. Market and limit construction impacts on the market’s property. 

The good news is that Graham’s design and proposal will likely cut a year off the project. Further really good news is that it appears WSDOT is conceding it can avoid use of the Montlake Market and Gas Station properties.  Graham’s designs eliminate many of the impacts WSDOT sited in their condemnation and demolition plans for the market property. The bad news, however, is that despite proving their ability to avoid the market and shifting construction impacts away from the property, WSDOT is still pursuing a full condemnation in order to use the rest of the property as a staging and storage yard for the next 10-years, throughout the Portage Bay phase. One of their representatives also claimed they needed the properties for the project’s “associated risks,” although he did not elaborate. 

Read more about the meeting in this story by KOMO News. 

In terms of saving the market, WSDOT estimated that keeping the market operational throughout construction will add an additional 45 days to the project and $20 million to the cost. This may seem like a lot at face value, but it appears to be intentionally misleading. WSDOT presented this figure without any discussion of the cost to acquire the property and avoided mention of other associated costs, such as lost tax revenue from the market, gas station and cell towers, which runs nearly $1 million per year.  

All told, WSDOT’s costs to acquire the properties could be as high as $33 million, with WSDOT paying an estimated $20 million on top of that to keep the market operational should the agency proceed with a full condemnation.  Moreover, they are ignoring the social and other costs they’ll impose on the communities we live in, loss of “walkability/bikeability” to and from the Market, drive time, cost and frustration to get to alternative market and gas locations, reduced property values of our homes from proximity to 10 years of loud, noisy construction, and the elimination of one of our few community gathering spots.  And, even using WSDOT’s inflated cost estimate, keep in mind the number is a fraction of the project’s $4.51 billion budget. 

These figures amount to what can only be considered as an absurdly steep price to pay, especially in light of WSDOT presenting the new designs last week showing how they can avoid the properties. WSDOT’s only remaining reason for acquiring the Market site appears to boil down to construction staging and storage. The notion of spending $50 million in taxpayer money to turn the heart of Montlake into a construction and equipment staging yard for the next 10 years is unacceptable to the Montlake Community Club. Our neighbors deserve better. 

The Montlake Community Club is continuing to engage with our legislators as well as WSDOT to keep staging off of the property and to make sure all options to save the market are pursued.  

You can help by reaching out to WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar, Speaker Chopp, Rep. Nicole Macri and Sen. Jamie Pedersen at the emails below and carrying this message: Roger Millar: millarr@wsdot.wa.gov, Speaker Chopp: frank.chopp@leg.wa.gov, Rep. Nicole Macri: nicole.macri@leg.wa.gov,Sen. Jamie Pedersen: jamie.pedersen@leg.wa.gov

Here is most recent information from WSDOT:

SR 520 construction resuming in Seattle; read about it in our ‘2019: The Year Ahead’ newsletter With major SR 520 construction resuming soon in Seattle, we want to provide you a snapshot of what’s coming up. You’ll find the highlights in our latest newsletter – “2019: The Year Ahead.” It covers the key construction activities for the SR 520 Montlake Project, along with ways for staying up to date on all the work. Graham Contracting Ltd., our Montlake Project design-build contractor, will begin preliminary fieldwork in the coming weeks. Construction will ramp up later this spring. We’ve created a new set of webpages, called the SR 520 Construction Corner, to help keep you informed on what to expect and how construction will affect your travel in and around the corridor. Planning for the remaining SR 520 “Rest of the West” projects is also moving forward in 2019. The SR 520/I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project is slated to begin construction in 2020, with the Portage Bay Bridge and Roanoke Lid Project scheduled to start in 2023. We’ll share more information about opportunities to get engaged in the design features and aesthetics of these projects as they move forward. Our 2019: The Year Ahead mailer should arrive this week in homes along the SR 520 corridor. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it. Montlake Market survey results now online Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent online survey. We solicited community feedback on the upcoming Montlake Project, its potential effects on the Montlake Market, and our ongoing efforts to see if it’s practicable to preserve the market. We received more than 1,700 responses to the Jan. 30-Feb. 14 survey. You can now view the survey results on our website. We also included two opportunities for open-ended responses – and received more than 800 written comments. In the coming weeks, we’ll post a summary of these responses on our website, along with the market-related comments people gave us at our Jan. 30 public meeting or emailed us during the survey period. We will also post a complete, verbatim transcript of all the open-ended survey comments. We look forward to continued communications and interaction with community members and local elected officials regarding the Montlake Market property. You asked, we’re answering We’ve received a lot of questions from the community over the last few months about our upcoming SR 520 construction work in Seattle. We try to answer every question, individually, as promptly as we can. With so many of the recent questions focused on the upcoming Montlake Project or, more specifically, on how our work may affect the Montlake Market, we’ve posted on the SR 520 website our answers to the most frequently asked questions. The first Q&A addresses questions related to the Montlake Market. The second responds to questions about other Montlake Project topics.