Work affects Highway 500, I-205 interchange

Drivers who use the state Highway 500 off-ramp to Interstate 205 may see easing of congestion in the future — but not before a little road work.

Starting Monday, the Washington State Department of Transportation and construction crews will start restriping work on parts of southbound I-205 to improve merging and safety at the Highway 500 interchange.

“With drivers mostly using two of three lanes on southbound I-205 in this area, we see an opportunity to change the existing configuration to improve traffic,” WSDOT Traffic Operations Engineer Scott Langer said in a news release. “By restriping the exit for southbound I-205 approaching the interchange, drivers from SR 500 will have their own lane for a much easier merge onto the interstate.”

Several nighttime ramp and lane closures are planned so crews can install new signs and restripe the roadway.

The work is weather dependent:

• 10 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, until the 5 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13: The eastbound Padden Parkway onramp to southbound I-205 will close. Also, up to two lanes of southbound I-205 will close between Padden Parkway to Highway 500 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14: The southbound I-205 offramp to Highway 500 will close.

• 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, to 5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16: A single lane of southbound I-205 will close nightly.

• 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, to 5 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 18: The southbound I-205 offramp to SR 500 will close. A single lane of southbound I-205 will also close nightly from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.