成人X站

CHOKEPOINTS

Major travel disruptions coming to Highway 529

Feb 6, 2024, 6:20 AM

travel disruptions 529...

State Route 529 in Washington (Photo courtesy of 成人X站 7)

(Photo courtesy of 成人X站 7)

Getting between Marysville and Everett is not going to be easy for most of the year. Construction on the bridges along Highway 529 is going to cause big disruptions.

Work to repair the was supposed to start last month, but bad weather and contractor issues have put the project on hold for a few weeks.聽 But when it starts, it is going to close the southbound 529 bridge over the water for three full weekends.

Other news: This week’s ‘manageable weather’ features light rain, some sun

The speed limit has been reduced on this bridge for months to keep the worn-out parts from getting worse.

“We’ve been watching it in the last couple of years, and there are some steel plates that connect beams that have gotten to the point where we now need to replace them,” the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Tom Pearce said. “These plates are part of the original bridge. They’ve held up really well, but after 97 years, it’s time to replace them.”

During these three weekend closures, Pearce said there aren’t many detour options.

“People who are going from Marysville to Everett are just going to need to use I-5 with the southbound roadway closed,” Pearce said. “People who are going northbound can use it, and they can still reach all of the points on the island.”

We should get an updated schedule this week for when the work will begin. It would take really bad weather to postpone it again.

“The work that we’re doing is only somewhat weather-dependent,” Pearce said. “It’s really more about safety. If it’s going to be really icy or there’s going to be high winds that wouldn’t be safe so we’d have to postpone. If it’s going to rain, then the crews have rain gear, and they’ll be out there in the rain.”

These three full weekend closures of southbound 529 over Steamboat Slough are just the appetizer for work on the corridor this year.

The bridge over the Snohomish River in Everett is about to be shut down for months.

“We’re going to have to close the northbound SR 529 Snohomish River Bridge for four months,” Pearce said.

The bridge will stay in the open position throughout the closure to make sure boats can get through, but this is going to be a major pain for drivers. The contractor will be creating two cross-overs on either end of the bridge to get traffic around this.

Northbound drivers will be forced into the southbound lanes, and the bridge will only have one lane in each direction open.

More Chokepoints: Can fake ivy work as graffiti deterrent?

“The crossover on the south side of the bridge will be up in Everett, and just after you get across the Snohomish River Bridge where things flatten out then we’ll put the other crossover in,” Pearce said.

The on-ramp from Marine View Drive will also be closed. Drivers will have to go south into Everett and do a U-turn to catch the crossover if they want to head north across the bridge. But that’s not it for Highway 529.

There will be multiple lane closures and full closures throughout the year and into 2025 to repair these bridges.

Check out more of Chris’ Chokepoints.

Chokepoints

SB I-5 semi-truck collision...

Jason Sutich

All lanes back open on SB I-5 after 3 semitrucks collide

All lanes are back open on southbound I-5 at 54th Avenue in Fife after three semitrucks collided.

1 day ago

southbound I-405 toll...

Jason Sutich

WSDOT investigates glitch as I-405 toll signs show ‘FREE’

The express toll lanes on southbound I-405 between Lynnwood and Bellevue were free Thursday morning due to incorrect signage labeling the lanes as "FREE."

2 days ago

Washington speed infractions...

Jason Sutich

Work zone speed cameras catch thousands of drivers in first 90 days

The Washington State Patrol has issued 7,599 infractions for drivers speeding in road work zones across the state in the last 90 days, according to 成人X站 7.

2 days ago

Sound Transit light rail...

Chris Sullivan

Sound Transit eyes march to Everett

Sound Transit is looking to extend light rail service to Everett.

3 days ago

Northgate rollover crash...

MyNorthwest Staff

Busy intersection in Northgate back open after rollover crash

An intersection in Northgate is back open after a rollover crash.

3 days ago

Diverging Diamond Interchange...

Chris Sullivan

New interchange is open but westbound I-90 traffic likely won’t improve for months

The state's new Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) at SR 18 is now open and will hopefully improve traffic and safety.

5 days ago

Major travel disruptions coming to Highway 529