Crews to build new off-ramp from SR 520 to Lake Washington Boulevard

Crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will soon finish constructing a new off-ramp that will allow drivers to travel from westbound State Route 520 directly to Lake Washington Boulevard.

The new off-ramp will be open Wednesday and cross the bridge on 24th Avenue East in order to give drivers access to Lake Washington Boulevard.

This ramp will offer travelers an alternate route instead of limiting them to the off-ramp nearby Washington Park Arboretum. This has been the only option for drivers for more than 50 years.

In order to complete this project, crews will close westbound SR 520  from 11 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday. All of the ramps and lanes will be closed from 92nd Avenue Northeast through Montlake Boulevard.

While the West Approach Bridge North (WABN) project is still under construction, the new off-ramp will be temporarily open. The new bridge is part of the SR520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, which is scheduled to be completed in 2017.

Crews will also install an additional stop sign on the ramp that will allow the crews to reach work zones. Additionally, motorists will need to follow a new four-way stop so that they can safely make right or left turns onto Lake Washington Boulevard.