Stretch of I-90 that sees 29k vehicles a day will close to one lane for September repairs
Commuters and those driving to nearby adventure along Interstate 90 should expect some significant delays east of Issaquah for most of mid-September.
The Washington Department of Transportation is planning to repave a 1,550-foot section of the interstate and will close two lanes of westbound I-90 from Sept. 11-16 and eastbound I-90 from Sept. 18-22 to repair concrete panels and asphalt.
WSDOT will reduce the three-lane highway to just one lane during each phase of the repairs. Construction workers will work around the clock to ensure the repairs are completed on time.
“There’s nothing simple about repaving a 1,550-foot section of I-90, particularly when we need to reduce a three-lane section of freeway to one lane,” Tom Pearce, a communications official for WSDOT, stated in a blog post.
“In this case, we’re not just paving over the top of existing concrete, we’re removing all of the concrete panels all the way down to the dirt, then repaving with asphalt,” Pearce continued. “The amount of work necessary means we cannot do this only during overnight shifts.”
Repairs are being made to the interstate because of irreparable damage to the asphalt. The section of I-90 being repaired is located close to a sealed coal mine. The mine has collected water in the nearly 45 years since it was closed, which has seeped under the highway, softened the soil and caused cracks in the asphalt.
Approximately 29,000 vehicles pass through the section of I-90 undergoing repairs each day, and Pearce expects traffic congestion and backups during peak hours. He recommends several options to reduce the number of vehicles on the road each day:
Carpooling - You can register your vehicle with WSDOT as a designated carpool vehicle for $20 annually. Registering as a carpool driver saves money and wear and tear on your vehicle when it’s not your turn to drive. Alternatively, you can form your own carpool or find potential partners at RideShare Online.
Using public transit - The Moovit App lists bus routes around Puget Sound and through Issaquah along I-90.
Working from a remote location.
Avoiding I-90 during morning commute hours.
WSDOT also provides a real-time traffic map that gives specific mile marker locations for heavy traffic along Washington highways, interstates and state roads.
