It’s been a while since we’ve seen this much snow fall in our area, and now, another system of snow, wind and frigid temperatures is expected to hit Friday.

Making the choice to travel during inclement weather is different for everyone. If you don’t feel comfortable driving in wintry conditions, consider finding alternate modes of transportation or don’t travel at all. If you do decide to venture out:

• Allow extra time to reach your destination
• Be aware of changing weather conditions
• Ensure your vehicle is in good working order and has appropriate tires for winter travel
• Pack winter driving suppliesin your vehicle
• Check road conditionsbefore traveling and carry chains
  • Follow us on Twitter or download our mobile app
• And remember to:
  • Slow down
  • Give road crews plenty of room to work
  • Leave extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you

Heavy traffic can delay snow and ice cleanup as plowing and deicing isn’t possible if vehicles are blocking the roadway. It only takes one crash or stalled vehicle to jam up the system for hours. Make the best decision for you, your family and all the other folks on the road by planning ahead

Our maintenance crews are great…but their work isn’t done yet!

Our maintenance crews have already endured a lot this week, but they’re ready to work around the clock during this next round of winter. But they can’t be everywhere at once.

We have approximately 100 plow trucks out at any given time, covering more than 5,000 lane miles from King County to the Canadian border. To deploy our resources, equipment and supplies strategically, we assign priority levels to all of the highways we maintain.

Check out this blog from two winters ago to learn more about which highways we prioritize first and why.

The determination is based on the following factors:

• The number of vehicles that use the highway each day
• Steep hills, sharp curves, intersections or ramps
• Access to emergency services, schools, businesses and freight routes

Regardless of what this next round of snow throws our way, our maintenance crews will rise to the challenge. We thank all of you in advance for your patience and for giving our crews plenty of room to do their important work.

UPDATE: Lane reductions on northbound I-5 in Tukwila

The lane reductions on the northbound I-5 Duwamish River Bridge scheduled for this weekend, Feb. 9-10, have been postponed due to inclement weather. Our Revive I-5 contractor crews plan to permanently replace the expansion joint hardware the weekends of Feb. 16-17 and Feb. 23-24, weather-dependent. See below for the updated closure info.

From 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17:

• The three right lanes of northbound I-5 between the I-405/SR 518 interchange and MLK Jr. Way will be closed.
• The following northbound I-5 on-ramps will also close:
  • Southbound I-405 HOV only.
  • Southcenter Boulevard.
  • Interurban Avenue South.

From 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24:

• The three left lanes of northbound I-5 between the I-405/SR 518 interchange and MLK Jr. Way will be closed.
• The following northbound I-5 on-ramps will also close:
  • Southbound I-405 HOV only.
  • Southcenter Boulevard.
  • Interurban Avenue South.

The new SR 99 tunnel is open to traffic

Crews began the tunnel opening sequence at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3. The first vehicle rolled through the tunnel's northbound lanes just after 11 p.m. and by 12:15 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 4, all ramps to and from the tunnel were open to drivers. Multiple intersections at the tunnel portals also opened on Sunday afternoon. 

The one exception is the new northbound off-ramp to South Dearborn Street near the stadiums, which will take crews another one to two weeks to complete. Until that happens, northbound travelers won’t have the option to exit after South Spokane Street, before the tunnel. That means that the next available exit is at the north portal, near the Space Needle. 

If you haven’t taken the time to familiarize yourself with the new two-mile-long SR 99 tunnel, we encourage you to do so. These videos show you how to get around. In addition to providing a direct route from the stadiums to the Space Needle, the tunnel portals have new entrances and exits that will take some getting used to. We’re asking everyone to be safe and stay alert to their surroundings as people adjust to the new travel patterns. 

The tunnel is currently toll free. Tolling could begin as soon as summer 2019. Toll rates will range from $1 to $2.25 with a Good To Go! pass, depending on time of day. You can learn more about how tolling will work on our webpage.

Heading south?

Check out what’s closed in the Pierce and Thurston counties on the Tacoma Traffic page.

High-impact special events this weekend

Friday, Feb. 8

• Seattle RV Show - 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at CenturyLink Field
• In case you missed it... Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama has been rescheduled to Sunday, March 24, due to predicted winter snow conditions in the Puget Sound area.

Saturday, Feb. 9

• Seattle RV Show - 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at CenturyLink Field
• Alki Winter Festival - 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Alki Beach
• Lunar New Year Celebration - 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hing Hay Park

Sunday, Feb. 10

• Seattle RV Show - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at CenturyLink Field