The Seattle Department of Transportation has announced that the combination westbound on-/off-ramp to the Spokane Street Viaduct will open to motorists Friday morning, August 31, no later than 6 a.m.

This is the only westbound ramp to the Viaduct in SODO. Motorists will recall the previous ramp located on 4th Ave. South that this replaces and the on-ramp previously located on Spokane just west of First Avenue S. Both were demolished to make way for a widened Spokane Street Viaduct, now doubled in width.

The Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project, now nearing completion provides motorists, transit and freight traffic with wider shoulders, a new eastbound off-ramp at Fourth Avenue (which opened two years ago), a seismically strengthened structure, and a rebuilt lower S Spokane Street roadway below the Viaduct with curbs, a concrete roadway and sidewalks (combined with a bike path on the north side).

Not yet done is the repaving of the eastbound off-ramp at First Avenue S, along with the intersection of First and South Spokane. The off-ramp is closed and will likely remain closed until the end of September.

North/south traffic on First Avenue S in the construction zone has been reduced to one lane in each direction, and the northbound lanes will be fully closed tonight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday morning.

Other upcoming project traffic impacts include:

Through September 30

· The eastbound First Avenue S off-ramp from the Spokane Street Viaduct remains closed around the clock.
· Eastbound lower or surface Spokane Street between East Marginal Way S and First Avenue S remains closed around the clock.
· Westbound lower or surface Spokane Street between Sixth Avenue S and East Marginal Way remains closed around the clock.
· First Avenue S between S Horton and S Spokane Streets has been reduced to one lane in each direction around the clock.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

· Northbound First Avenue S at S Spokane Street will be closed overnight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Friday morning. Northbound traffic will be detoured to Fourth Avenue S.
· The westbound Harbor Island off-ramp from the S Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed overnight from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday morning.

Thursday, September 6

· The eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct between SR 99 and I-5 will be closed from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday morning. All traffic on the West Seattle Bridge will be detoured to northbound SR 99. Traffic wishing to continue further east will be diverted to the lower Spokane Street roadway in West Seattle.

Wednesday, September 12 – Thursday, September 13

· The eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct between SR 99 and I-5 will be closed both nights from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. All traffic on the West Seattle Bridge will be detoured to northbound SR 99. Traffic wishing to continue further east will be diverted to the lower Spokane Street roadway in West Seattle.
· The left westbound lane of the Spokane Street Viaduct between SR99 and I-5 will be closed both nights from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning.