State Route 18 lanes to be closed this weekend; other routes advised

It’ll be slow going for drivers on state Route 18 this weekend.

Crews will close all westbound lanes at 10 p.m. Friday (July 24) between Federal Way and Auburn, leaving open only one eastbound lane, according to the state Department of Transportation.

More than 170,000 vehicles use the section of the highway during an average weekend in July, the state said. Those drivers will do better this weekend to find alternate routes on interstates 5, 405 or 90.

State Route 18 will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, after workers have added a bridge pier as part of the new carpool toll lane project, where state Route 167 crosses state Route 18.

The state Route 167 project eventually will add 8 miles to the southbound carpool toll lane system, which is open to carpools and solo drivers who pay the fee.

The following ramps will also be closed this weekend:

▪ The ramp from southbound state Route 167 to eastbound state Route 18.

▪ The westbound state Route 18 ramp to southbound state Route 167 and West Valley Highway.

▪ The ramp from C Street Southwest to westbound state Route 18.

▪ The West Valley Highway ramp to eastbound state Route 18 and northbound state Route 167.

This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 8:30 AM with the headline "State Route 18 lanes to be closed this weekend; other routes advised."