The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closed the I-90 floating bridge July 5 to replace 20-year-old cracked expansion joints, which engineers believe pose a potential safety risk. This began a two-week construction period that WSDOT thought would call heavy backups, but WSDOT reports that traffic congestion has gone more smoothly than was expected.

“Most people are listening to WSDOT’s advice and taking alternative routes, as well as traveling outside of peak [traffic] times,” said WSDOT spokesperson Sandy Lam.

Morning peak times are from 7 to 11, and afternoon peak times are from 3 to 7. During these hours, delays could add 30 minutes to an hour to normal commute times.

Drivers can follow alternate routes, connecting to I-5 north or I-405 south, or use the Gov. Albert D. Rossellini Bridge — Evergreen Point on SR-520.

Lam said that while the commute on the express lanes has been better than expected, the recent traffic is not representative of normal travel times because of the Fourth of July weekend.

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