EVERETT — The four-month one-lane adventure on Highway 529 between Everett and Marysville is about to begin — for real this time.
After this weekend, the highway will drop from four lanes to two lanes across the Snohomish River. That’s going to last until early October, according to the state Department of Transportation. Weather has delayed the project. It’s a key alternative route to I-5.
The $13.5 million project will update the Snohomish River Bridge and the Steamboat Slough Bridge.
At 10 p.m. Sunday, the highway will fully close until 5 a.m. Monday. The overnight closure allows crews to install temporary crossovers to divert traffic from the northbound Snohomish River Bridge.
North of the Steamboat Slough bridge, the highway will shift back to four lanes, with a temporary 45 mph speed limit. Each lane will be 11 feet wide and separated with pylons.
The northbound Snohomish River Bridge roadway will remain closed until repairs are complete. The bridge’s draw span will remain open to allow boats to pass during repairs to the lift span.
“Federal maritime law requires us to maintain access for boats on the Snohomish River,” state project engineer Amelia Scharrer said in a release. “Because we will not be able to move the bridge’s draw span while work is happening, we have to leave it in the up position during this work.”
About 35,000 vehicles use the bridge each day. The transportation department advises avoiding Highway 529, if possible. That leaves I-5 as the next best option to travel north between Everett and Marysville, where construction on a new carpool lane has already affected traffic.
“While I-5 already has a lot of traffic,” Scharrer said, “people still should consider using the freeway when traveling between Everett and Marysville.”
Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jordyhansen.
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