[Julie Meredith] Good morning everybody.
Thank you for being here with us today.
My name is Julie Meredith.
I'm the secretary for the Washington State Department of Transportation,
and I'm happy to be joined here with several partners of agency executives
and many other partners here today.
The ship canal bridge behind me
is one of the most important structures in our transportation system.
It's more than just a part of I-5.
It's a vital statewide link connecting people and goods to
and across the Puget Sound and the entire Pacific Northwest.
And in support of our economy.
While the view from here is stunning, it is stunning up close.
It's a very different story.
The bridge is more than 60 years old
and carries more than 240,000 daily crossings each day.
And it shows.
Since 2019, we have made more than 200 emergency repairs on this bridge.
This approach is not sustainable.
This summer is the start of a much needed multi-year effort
to extend the bridge's life and avoid bigger disruptions down the road.
Well, today we're focused on work
that starts tonight on the Ship Canal Bridge.
I'd be remiss if I did not mention the entire state
is in need of significant preservation and investments.
We're reaching the point as a state and in fact, as a nation
where our 1960s and 50s infrastructure investments
are in need of immediate and comprehensive preservation efforts.
We cannot wait and see any longer.
So with that, I'd like to just talk about what we can expect coming up.
We know our timeline for our work has shifted and changed.
I'd like to thank you for sticking with us as we determine
how best to balance our budget constraints, while also forging ahead
to make more immediate progress on preserving this section of I-5.
I'm really pleased to have forged a strong partnership with the
with our partners here today and the public so that we can be prepared
as we've shared the work.
This year will set us up for the longer
term lane closures in 2026 and 2027.
We know that many of you have already heard about this work
that we've we're going to talk about from your employer, from our work
at the community events, or from our social media posts.
But we are here today to stress what's happening next.
Tonight at 11:59 p.m.,
we will fully close northbound I-5 starting at the I-90 interchange
to northeast 45th Street and beginning on Monday, July 21st,
we will enter about a four weeks of lane closures
across the Ship Canal bridge before wrapping up
with another full closure the weekend of August 15th through 18.
During those four weeks of lane reductions, crews will remove
and replace aging expansion bike joints, improve the drainage and repair
damaged sections and resurface the bridge deck, all while keeping traffic
moving through a reduced number of lanes to help provide options.
The express lanes will be open, running northbound 24 over seven from later
through tonight through our completion on August 18th.
And while this work is focused on northbound I-5,
this project construction will have regional inspection impacts.
We expect traffic to shift across our region on I-405,
SR 99 and across local roads as well.
While drivers look for and find alternative routes and impacts
to southbound I-5 travelers as express lanes will be dedicated to northbound.
Lastly, WDOT crews will be busy
not only working on this program, but across the Puget Sound.
We have 117 active construction projects
around the state to preserve, maintain, and improve our system,
and none of this work could be completed without partners.
It's important to remember that we're all in this together.
This is not something washdot is undertaking alone,
and for the past two years, we've worked hand in hand with the Seattle Department
of Transportation, King County Metro Sound Transit,
emergency responders, and our other transportation agencies,
jurisdictions, businesses and community partners
to help coordinate this effort for planning and traffic jobs.
You'll hear from our partners today, and I'm grateful for all of them.
Their coordination has helped us align schedules, reduce conflicts,
and make sure businesses and communities have the tools they need to plan ahead.
I want to stress that there is no perfect time
for this work to get done, especially in the heart of Puget Sound,
Puget Sound in the northwest in our beautiful summer.
But we're here to do the hard work necessary
to keep our transit system whole, to work with our partners
to minimize disruptions, and to help you get where you need to go,
whether that's to work a concert, a game, or just a sunny day around town.
We know this work is disruptive, but it's necessary,
and we're asking travelers to plan ahead.
Take transit when you can and most importantly, stay informed.
You can count on us and our partners to help keep
you updated and help get you where you need to go.
And today I must stress and urge you to plan ahead.
And with that, I'd like to
turn it over to Adiam Emery.
[Adiam Emery] Thank you, Secretary Meredith.
Good morning. My name is Adiam Emery.
I'm the interim director for Seattle Department of Transportation.
Thank you to WSDOT and our transit agency partners here today.
This project maintains an important connection between the North
End, downtown Seattle, and neighborhoods across the city.
We know how important it is to keep Seattle moving,
especially during big construction like revive I-5.
That's why we're working hand in hand
with WSDOT regional partners to reduce
delays, respond to incidents,
and ensure resilient transportation system.
Seattle is a city full of life,
particularly in the summer for
from sports events to fests and festivals, waterfront outings
and unique business local businesses.
There's always something going on in Seattle.
Seattle is open and ready to welcome everyone into the city.
This summer,
to help keep you moving,
side is building more reliable transit with new and expanded bus lanes,
better access to light rail, and many other ways
to make it easier to get around the city.
All along, we've been planning and investing in a reliable transit network
so people can get where they need to go, even during major construction.
That includes project like the 24 over
seven bus lanes on Aurora Avenue North, and expanding
bus priorities and corridors like Rainier Avenue
and Route 40.
This upgrades help
busses moving in our busiest streets and improve access to the places
people live, work and play.
As we continue to maintain and modernize our streets,
we're taking a five part approach to keep Seattle moving.
During revive by five work this summer, and in the future,
we're going
to continue watching a roadway in real time to make sure we can
quickly respond to traffic issues like stalled
vehicle or crashes.
We're going to help people choose transit and other options
by investing in our transit system to deliver
frequent and reliable service.
We're going to continue to work closely with other agencies to stay coordinated,
to quickly respond to incidents and unplanned events,
while maintaining public safety,
keeping streets clear and safe
by managing detours, signals, and work zones.
And finally, we're going to continue to share
regular communication and traveling travel tools
to keep our Seattle community informed with vital information.
You need to stay connected and reach your destination.
This important work better prepare Seattle
for major events and constructions in the years ahead,
including our FIFA 2026 that's coming up.
World Cup and Sound Transit, three light rail expansion, and of course,
projects funded by the voter approved Seattle Transportation Levy.
So here's what I want you to remember.
Remember Seattle is open.
We welcome everyone to enjoy everything
in this city the city has to offer this summer.
Don't forget to visit flipyourtrip.org.
And that's where you find all your travel tools in one place.
Please keep an eye out for our vulnerable traveler travelers.
We're going to see a lot of people walking, biking, scooting,
and we got to make sure that we are taking care of them.
So please adhere to the speed limit and travel safe.
Let's make everybody safe.
Stay informed and give yourself a little extra travel time.
It will pay off.
Transit is a great way to go.
Rapid bus. Rapid bus line.
Like the popular G line that we just opened last summer.
And of course, a robust Sound Transit light rail.
I remember youth 18 and under.
They travel free transit.
So let's build that habit.
With that before.
The only thing I want to say is before you leave home, don't ever
forget your Orca card and a helmet so you can scoot and bike around the city.
We're in this together. SDOT
and our partners are here to help you.
The traveling public get where you where you're going.
Seattle. We've got this.
We can do this together.
Thank you.
[Ernest Kandilige] Thank you.
Adian.
Good morning.
My name is Ernest Kandilige,
and I serve as the deputy general manager at King County Metro Transit.
The work ahead isn't just about construction.
It's about keeping our region connected, safe and moving for years to come.
We know the work will impact,
summer travel around the region,
but the ship canal bridge is heavily traveled.
Doing this work now is important for all who travel through the area,
including transit.
Responding to this
work is a coordinated effort between watchdog,
King County Metro and the City of Seattle.
Our collaboration will help keep the region moving during construction.
As always, Metro is here to support
riders and reduce traffic stress.
I would like to emphasize hands down,
taking the bus or light rail
is the least stressful way to navigate around the construction zone.
So what should each of us do in the next month?
First, plan ahead.
Expect delays, especially during peak hours.
You will want to think twice about hopping on I-5.
It's not like in it's a normal day.
You'll also want to make sure that if
working remotely is an option,
you consider that.
Try flexing hours
to travel outside the busiest commute times if you can.
For other travel again,
go during off peak hours.
You will avoid a lot of stress.
Second, use transit.
Metro Sound Transit, Community Transit are all ramping up to support riders
in getting where they need to go without the stress
of sitting alone in the stop and go traffic.
Remember I stated youth 18 and under ride free.
So take advantage of that.
Third, stay informed.
Watch the Metro, Sound Transit,
community transit, all of our traffic
trip planning tools, maps
and real time service updates.
Use them to stay one step ahead.
Finally, we must be patient.
This work is temporary and will yield
long term benefits for everyone.
While the impacts this summer will be real,
the long term benefits are even greater.
Construction is never fun, but a smoother,
safer freeway system is worth it.
I want to again express my
thanks to all involved in this major project.
Together we will move through this and come out stronger on the other side.
Thank you.
And I'll turn it over to CEO Constantine.
[Dow Constantine] Thank you, Ernest.
And thank you, Adiam.
Thank you, Secretary Meredith.
I'm Dow Constantine.
I am, formerly Ernest’s boss, but now,
I am the CEO of Sound Transit,
and, we are at Sound Transit. No. Eight.
No strangers to prioritizing key maintenance projects.
We're a newer agency with newer infrastructure,
but we have built in very rigorous, regular, maintenance schedule to make sure
that we keep that infrastructure in top shape over the decades.
And we do that to protect and extend the life of this important investment
to the people of central Puget Sound have made.
Now, much of this ship canal bridge,
has waited several decades.
To have this kind of work done.
There's never a perfect time.
This is necessary and responsible work.
And unfortunately, that is always going to cause
inconvenience and delay whenever we decide to do it.
But it does have to be done.
I applaud the Washington State Department of Transportation
for taking a thoughtful approach to this challenge over the coming weeks
and over the coming two years.
The work will benefit everyone who lives and works and travels
here for decades to come.
Now, as we move through this weekend's
closure, I want to invite you
to, if you are able,
leave your car at home and join us.
Join us on transit.
Join us on Sound Transit Link light rail.
Join us on our regional busses or the local transit system busses.
Join us on the special sounder trains that will be running
this weekend for the Mariners games from Everett and from Lakewood.
Our light rail trains,
have been having a record summer this year.
But we have room still to welcome you aboard.
Sound transit will do our part.
We will do our part to reduce the impact of this work
on individual lives and individual travel.
And we're being thoughtful during this and other closures
to try to run at full capacity.
And we work with the Department of Transportation as we work
with the city of Seattle to stage our, necessary maintenance work
so that it is not all happening at the same time.
As we move on toward,
2026 and additional work on Interstate five.
As you may have read, or heard on the news.
We're looking forward to opening even more light rail capacity
to be able to serve the south part of King County with Federal Way Link.
And then moving on to serve, people crossing
Lake Washington on our two line.
We are going to keep building this capacity to make sure
that you have alternatives when important light work like this is happening.
Or possibly if you'd like to simply change
your daily commute and join us on light rail.
We know this
weekend is just a preview of what's to come, so I encourage us all
to try to make good choices
and learn new ways to get around the region.
And together we will get through this challenge.
Thank you so much.
And thank you, Secretary Meredith, for your leadership.
Back to you.
[Julie Meredith] All right.
Well, as we wrap it up here today, I'd like to say, as a final reminder
that this is just one of the many work zones that we have out there.
And we'd like to ask people to remember that our crews are out there.
The contractors are out there, in some cases, exposed to traffic.
We want to make things run better for you.
So please pay attention.
Don't drive distracted and follow the signs and directions
that you encounter in the work zones as you travel around the state
and the city this summer.
And I would like to extend a gracious thank you to Adiam, Ernest, and Dow
and their teams for joining me here today and for helping to keep things moving
throughout the region.
I couldn't ask for a better partnership,
and I'd like to thank the media and our partners
for joining us today to helping get the word out
so that the public can move around the state informed.
Thank you.