I-405/Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project

Project overview

The I-405/Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project enhances four and a half miles of the corridor, primarily in Bothell, from just south of the State Route 522 interchange and ending at the SR 527 interchange. WSDOT, Sound Transit and design-build contractor Skanska USA Inc., will deliver improvements that benefit all users, while addressing aging infrastructure, opening upstream fish habitat, and connecting communities, freight and Regional Growth Centers throughout the corridor.

Since implemented in 2015, express toll lanes (ETL) have helped improve reliability of trips on the north end of the I-405 corridor, however the single-lane section still experiences heavy congestion, especially for people traveling south during the morning commute. The project will extend the dual-express toll lane system on the north end of I-405 and improve access to the voter-approved Stride bus rapid transit service to address congestion and help keep all vehicles moving efficiently.

This project includes three new Stride stations and will build direct access ramps to the ETL system at SR 522, along with a partial direct access interchange at SR 527 to and from the south connecting to the Canyon Park Park & Ride. These enhancements will allow Stride vehicles to travel in the new ETLs between Lynnwood and Bellevue while stopping briefly to pick-up and drop-off passengers without having to leave the highway system. Having dedicated ETL access in the center of the freeway will make travel more efficient supporting the new Stride service with buses arriving every 10 minutes for most of the day.

Additionally, the project will address aging infrastructure, correct multiple fish barrier corrections, add noise walls and add new stormwater facilities.

Timeline

The project is expected to complete construction in 2028 in alignment with Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit.

Project status

Construction

Funding

$834 Million

Project hotline

425-354-3232

What to expect

This spring we broke ground on this project and kicked off construction. Watch video highlights from the event.

Traffic switch on westbound SR 522 to northbound I-405 on-ramp

Crews switched traffic over onto the newly constructed bridge deck on top of the first completed portion of the new Par Creek fish passage. This shift opens a new work zone to continue progress constructing the fish passage that will run underneath SR 522 to the Sammamish River.

Sammamish River Trail Reroute and brief closures

Starting as soon as Dec. 16, crews will conduct brief closures and implement a short reroute of the Sammamish River Trail to complete work safely in the area.

You can expect:

A short reroute around the active work zone underneath the I-405/SR 522 interchange.
Brief daytime closures of the trail no longer than 15 minutes and not during peak hours (no closures 5 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 7 p.m.).
Overnight closures will not take place during the weekends. Please use caution when travelling along the trail outside of daytime hours.
There will be signage along the trail ahead of the reroute to direct you where to go. Flaggers may be present during active construction for assistance.

What is happening:
Pile driving is ongoing in the area. The pile driving work supports foundation work for the future northbound I-405 bridge to eastbound SR 522. Crews will pile drive only during daytime hours. The pile driving will move to the north side of the Sammamish River near Northeast Woodinville Drive (view map image for reference). This work might require the use of an impact hammer. When in use, people nearby can hear loud pings from the impact hammer strikes.

Upcoming work

Highway lane closures:

The right general-purpose lane of northbound I-405 from milepost 24.2 to milepost 27.06 will be closed overnight from 11 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8.
The left express toll lane of southbound I-405 from milepost 23.75 to milepost 27.2 will be closed overnight from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9.

Highway ramp closures:

The Northeast 160th Street to southbound I-405 on-ramp at milepost 22.6 will be closed overnight from 10 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 to 4 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8.

View full image

Map of I-405 showing the area that will be improved, from SR 522 to SR 527, highlighted in orange.

History and background

Overview

The 50-mile I-405/SR 167 corridor serves a rapidly growing region from Lynnwood to Puyallup. As the area exceeds projected population growth, attracts large businesses, and creates more jobs, the demand for transportation systems continues to increase. To meet this growing demand, we continue a 20-year history of working with cities, counties, the Legislature, and transit agencies along the corridor to carry out the long-term vision for transportation along this important north-south corridor.

A major part of the I-405/SR 167 multimodal vision includes building a corridor-wide express toll lane (ETL) system from Puyallup to Lynnwood and supporting a high-capacity transit system called Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Improvements to our I-405/SR 167 corridor and implementing Sound Transit’s I-405 Stride system are essential to the region’s transportation network, readiness for growth, and quality of life.

I-405 Express Toll Lanes (ETLs)

In 2015, we launched ETLs between Bellevue and Lynnwood with two ETLs in each direction between Northeast Sixth Street in Bellevue and just south of the SR 522 interchange in Bothell and a single ETL between SR 522 and I-5. While express toll lanes have helped reduce traffic and improve reliability on the north end of the I-405 corridor, the single-lane section still experiences heavy congestion, especially for people traveling south during the morning commute.

The Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project aims to relieve some of that pressure by adding an additional express toll lane in each direction in this area. Consistent with the long-term vision for the corridor, we are moving forward with these additional improvements to mobility and reliability on I-405 in Bothell and south Snohomish County.

Sound Transit Stride bus rapid transit

We have worked closely with the City of Bothell and Sound Transit to design the new inline Stride station at the Brickyard Park and Ride in Bothell. Stations and direct access ramps to the ETLs also will be added to the SR 522 and SR 527 interchanges. These Stride stations will integrate with the voter-approved Stride service along I-405. This work will enable Stride vehicles to travel exclusively in the new ETLs between Lynnwood and Bellevue, increasing service reliability, and decreasing Stride travel times. This new system will offer better transportation options for everyone who uses I-405.

Economic contributions

The project will contribute to economic growth in the region by investing in key Bothell destinations and employment centers, including the University of Washington (UW) Bothell/Cascadia College campus, two business parks, a commercial center with a variety of businesses, and residential development. It also supports the City of Bothell's efforts to update the Canyon Park subarea plan, which notes the importance of WSDOT and Sound Transit transportation investments in this area.

Milestone

2019

Funding allocated for the project

July 2021

Environmental decision document – a Finding of No Significant Impact

July 2023

Project team awarded the design-build contract to Skanska USA, Inc.

Winter 2023

Construction activities start

May 20, 2024

Groundbreaking ceremony at Brickyard Park & Ride

Spring 2028

Project opens to traffic

In 2019, the Legislature intended to fund capacity improvements between SR 522 and SR 527 through bonded toll revenue.

The revenue reductions felt by the pandemic have impacted toll revenue available to fund this project. In 2021, the Legislature included two budget provisos, directing us to conduct a financial analysis presenting options for funding and phasing corridor projects, including options to construct the SR 522 to SR 527 capacity improvements project to attempt to align with the anticipated deployment of bus rapid transit on the corridor. The program team submitted the final report to the Legislature in December 2021.

In 2022, the Legislature approved both the 2022 Supplemental Transportation Budget and the $16.8 billion Move Ahead Washington transportation package, which collectively designated $380 million to the I-405/SR 167 program. The Legislature’s approval of an additional approximately $70 million in sales tax deferral has addressed the previous $450 million funding gap. This critical funding allowed us to move forward with several critical projects throughout the corridor, including the Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project.

This is a visualization of the future improvements to the SR 522 interchange area. The improvements include a new center direct access ramp to I-405 express toll lanes, a new bridge for northbound I-405 traffic, and dual southbound I-405 express toll lanes on existing northbound structure. — This is a visualization of the future improvements to the SR 522 interchange area. The improvements include adding an express toll lane (ETL) in both directions, new center direct access ramps to the ETLs and new Stride stations. To accomplish this, we will build a new bridge for northbound I-405 traffic, and the southbound I-405 express toll lanes will be routed onto the existing northbound structure.

This is a visualization of the proposed improvements to the SR 527 interchange. The project improvements include reconstructing a portion of the pedestrian bridge, reconfiguring the Canyon Park Park and Ride lot, and constructing new direct access ramps and inline transit stations. — This is a visualization of the proposed improvements to the SR 527 interchange. The project improvements include reconstructing a portion of the pedestrian bridge, reconfiguring the Canyon Park Park & Ride lot, and constructing a partial direct access interchange to and from the south connecting to the Canyon Park Park & Ride.

This is a visual rendering showing the design concept of the inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station on I-405 at the Brickyard Park and Ride station. Please note, this is a conceptual design and details are subject to change — This is a visual rendering showing the design concept of the inline Stride station on I-405 at the Brickyard Park & Ride station. Please note, this is a conceptual design, and details are subject to change.

Meetings and briefings

Fall 2024, Community webinar - Oct. 23, 2024

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, WSDOT, representatives from contractor Skanska and Sound Transit hosted a community webinar. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, a review of recent closures and traffic shifts, a summary of upcoming work this fall, pile driving notification, and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. There was a question-and-answer segment at the end of the presentation.

Summer 2024, Community webinar - July 17, 2024

On Wednesday, July 17, WSDOT, contractor Skanska, and representatives from Sound Transit hosted a quarterly community webinar to update the public on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations through the summer and early fall and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. There was a question-and-answer segment at the end of the presentation.

Spring 2024, Community webinar - April 2, 2024

On Tuesday, April 2, representatives from WSDOT and Skanska hosted a community webinar. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations in the area, an update on the SR 522 permanent speed limit change near the I-405/SR 522 interchange, and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. There was also a question-and-answer segment at the end of the presentation.

WSDOT

I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program

The Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project is one project that makes up the I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program.

Environmental Assessment (PDF 3.6MB)

WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration published the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the I-405/SR 522 Vicinity to SR 527 Express Toll Lanes Improvement Project on July 2, 2020. The EA describes the purpose and need of the project and provides to the public and decision-makers about the environmental effects and benefits of the project.

Finding of No Significant Impact (PDF 5.5MB)

WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration issued the Finding of No Significant Impact and Errata for the I-405, SR 522 Vicinity to SR 527 Express Toll Lanes Improvement Project on July 29, 2021.

Sound Transit

About Stride Bus Rapid Transit

Sound Transit's Stride bus rapid transit is a new fast, frequent and reliable bus service connecting to light rail and to communities north, east and south of Lake Washington.

We are here to help!

To stay updated on this project, we encourage people to download the WSDOT app and sign up for our newsletter by emailing I405SR167Program@wsdot.wa.gov.

You can also call our project hotline at 425-456-8585 for general project information.

For construction-related question, you can call our construction hotline at 425-354-3232.

Stride bus rapid transit questions

For general questions about Sound Transit’s Stride system, call (206) 553-3412 or email brt@soundtransit.org.