Judkins Park and I-90: Based on analysis, the recommended alternative is Alternative 2!

By: April Delchamps

What a game! The Seahawks are the Super Bowl Champions!

Congratulations to the Seahawks!

We also have another milestone. The I-90 Judkins Park Station – Reconnecting Communities Study team has a recommendation for the Interstate 90 ramps at Rainier Avenue South. After months of coordination, traffic modeling and analysis, we are recommending Alternative 2.

Map of Judkins Park area with the on-ramp and off-ramps.  

Alternative 2: the recommended alternative

Alternative 2 removes the westbound I-90 to northbound Rainier off-ramp (Ramp 4) and reroutes traffic to Ramp 5. (This option used to be called Concept 2 from the 2019 SDOT study.)

Here’s what could change with Alternative 2:

• Removes one of the I-90 ramps, Ramp #4 (westbound to northbound off-ramp). This traffic will be moved to Ramp #5.
• Adds a pedestrian signal crossing Rainier Avenue South, just north of I-90.
• Reduces Rainier Avenue South from six lanes to four lanes under I-90 (one vehicle lane and one dedicated bus lane in each direction). This will allow more space for bikes and pedestrians under I-90. Note: Any changes to Rainier Avenue South under I-90 will be developed in consultation with the Seattle Department of Transportation, community and agency partners. That includes any changes to the number and type of lanes and the bike and pedestrian facilities. These changes can only happen if there is more funding to design and construct the improvements identified in this study.
• Improves the separation between vehicle and non-vehicle traffic.
• "Tees up" Ramp #2 (northbound to eastbound on-ramp).
• "Tees up" Ramps #3 (southbound to eastbound on-ramp) and Ramp #5 (westbound to southbound off-ramp) at one controlled intersection (traffic signal or roundabout) near Bush Place. 

"Tee-ing up" a ramp

Tee-ing up a ramp means creating T-shaped intersections with traffic signals or roundabouts. Vehicles must slow down and stop, creating controlled crossings for pedestrians and bikes to cross the ramp

Alternative 2 is the best value

We evaluated the performance of all four alternatives on the seven criteria.

• Learn about the other alternatives in our December blog post.
• Learn about the seven criteria in our January blog post.

Alternative 2 is the winner with the best performance at a relatively low cost. It’s the top performing choice in these criteria:

• Improvement to access for people walking, biking and using transit
• Reducing people’s exposure to vehicles
• Slowing down vehicles using the on- and off-ramps
• Improving the spacings of crosswalks on Rainier Avenue South
• Minimizing queuing on I-90 off ramps

It scores second best on:

• adding parks and green space in the area
• reducing impacts to transit speed and reliability

Overall, Alternative 2 scored the best across all seven criteria when we added them all up. That means improved conditions for people who walk, roll and bike, while reducing vehicle speeds. This alternative also:

• enhances safety
• provides more space for people to move through the area
• improves access to the new light rail station
• supports transit

If you live, visit, shop, work or own a business

Everyone can walk, roll, bike, take the bus or drive to access home, work, services, destinations and more. Things like better transit access, sidewalks and bike lanes mean that everyone has more options to travel.

• Walk, roll, or bike: More dedicated space. Better connections to light rail. Bike facilities. Improved sidewalks and crossings.
• Take the bus: Dedicated bus lanes mean more reliable arrival times and better connections to light rail.
• Drive: Two lanes (one lane in each direction). Access to residences, local businesses and services is maintained. Expect some traffic congestion during rush hour.

What happens next

Just as the Seahawks prepare for next season, our project team is developing the game plan for Alternative 2. This spring and summer, we'll work with SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, the Federal Highway Administration and other partners to verify and refine the details of Alternative 2. After that, we'll:

• Finalize and document the study recommendation
• Develop a report
• Start our preliminary design along with the Advisory Group, community and agency partners

Our I-90 Judkins Park Station – Reconnecting Communities is only funded through preliminary design. More funding is needed to finish design and construction.

This is a team effort

The Seahawks rely on players, coaches and the 12s all working together. Alternative 2 represents collaboration between the WSDOT, Judkins Park community and other agencies. It also includes everyone who has helped by engaging in the Study. We’ll spend the next few months engaging with agency partners, submitting documentation and advancing the alternative design. We’re excited to engage the community and the advisory group on the preliminary design later this year. Thank you for being part of this process. And go Hawks!

Go Hawks!

Study webpage: I-90 Judkins Park Station – Reconnecting Communities

Email updates: Sign up for Seattle area news and study updates.

Contact:

Amber Stanley - Community Engagement Lead
Phone: 206-817-8833
Email: amber.stanley@wsdot.wa.gov

Charging Ahead: Building the infrastructure for hybrid-electric ferries

By: Kurt Workman

Over the last year, we’ve made big strides in our work to rebuild and modernize our fleet. The Wenatchee returned to service in July. It’s the largest hybrid-electric ferry conversion in North America. Having the Wenatchee in service helps us restore full domestic service. Then in August, we finalized a contract for three new ferries.

In November, we reached another milestone. We selected the vessel charging system, or VCS, that will power our hybrid-electric fleet. This decision moves electrification from planning into implementation.

Plugging into the future

Each new ferry will operate with two diesel engines and two electric motors. These engines and motors are supported by battery banks holding more than 13 megawatt-hours of storage. That is substantial capacity – roughly equivalent to the batteries in 828 Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.

While design work continues, the system will resemble an overhead charging arm mounted on a platform near the terminal. Once a vessel is secured at the dock, the arm will connect, deliver power, and disconnect before departure.

A current riders won’t feel

Vessel charging is designed to fit within normal operations. Ferries will recharge each time they dock at a charging terminal, using our typical 20-minute loading and unloading window. Riders should see little to no change in schedules or boarding processes.

We also expect minimal change to the overall look and feel of terminals. The charging equipment will sit on a platform in the water near the terminal. They deliver power through the overhead charging arm.

A snapshot of the infrastructure that will provide shore charging at our terminals.

Modernizing the fleet, port by port

Over time, we plan to add charging infrastructure to up to 16 terminals. Each location will use the same charging system so that vessels can charge where needed. That flexibility makes our system more reliable and our service more responsive across routes.

Shore power on the horizon

Next up is improvements to electrical systems at Colman Dock. In July, we will begin the process of selecting a contractor for that work. A request for qualifications will be issued this spring, followed by a request for proposals in the summer.

Details on contracting opportunities can be found on the WSDOT contracting site.

Terminal and new vessel electrification schedule through 2030

Charting the course ahead

Modernizing the fleet requires more than new vessels. It requires durable, systemwide infrastructure.

Investments in shore charging are central to rebuilding the fleet and reducing emissions. These improvements also deliver long-term fuel and maintenance savings for Washingtonians. This work positions the ferry system for dependable service in the decades ahead.

Read more about ferry system electrification.

Why so much construction in Puget Sound? What to know about I-5, I-405, SR 520 and more through 2028

By RB McKeon

What the next two years of construction in Greater Puget Sound mean for travelers

Over the next two years, travelers across Greater Puget Sound will see an unprecedented level of construction activity. This is not the result of a single project, but the cumulative effect of major efforts moving forward at the same time.  

From I-5 and I-405 to SR 520, I-90 and key freight and commuter routes, major corridors across the region will have overlapping construction. This isn't so much a temporary spike or a single busy season as it is a sustained construction era.

Map of 2026 major WSDOT projects in the greater Puget Sound region

And we know what you may be thinking: You've been saying "This year will be worse than the last" for years now.

Yes. We've consistently emphasized that construction impacts would intensify year over year, and they have. What makes 2026 different is the baseline we're operating from. Sustained lane reductions on northbound I-5 through downtown Seattle are in place for an extended duration, and that work zone underpins everything else happening across the regions.

The region's transportation system is at a tipping point. Much of the infrastructure is old, overstressed, and operating beyond what it was designed to handle. Meanwhile, our region's population continues to grow. We need to support that growth safely and strategically. That means adding capacity to our roads, improving access and strengthening transit connections.

When you step back and look at the full picture, a clear pattern emerges: there is no single "big project." The next two years represent a coordinated effort to preserve, maintain and improve our most vital corridors.

Revive I-5 underpins everything

At the center of all of this construction is Revive I-5, the largest active preservation project in the state.  I-5 is Washington's most heavily traveled corridor.  It carries hundreds of thousands of trips a day, supports regional transit and freight and has very few true alternatives.

Birds-eye view of the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge deck

When something happens on I-5, the impacts ripple across the entire system. That's why keeping I-5 functioning is not just one project among many: it underpins nearly every other major effort in the region. That's also why so much of the region's construction strategy is built around keeping I-5 operational, even while other corridors are under construction.

Most of our current and upcoming work is designed around that reality: preserving aging pavement and bridges, while maintaining enough flexibility to keep the system balanced during simultaneous construction.

Why is construction happening year-round?  

Keeping Washington's highways and bridges in good working order takes year-round planning, coordination and effort. While summer brings the most visible construction, work doesn't stop when the seasons change.

It may feel like closures show up at the worst possible time. But behind every closure is a careful plan that weighs the cost and benefits and tries to get the job done as safely, efficiently and as smoothly as possible.

Why do you close roads on weekends?

We don't choose weekends to make life difficult. We choose them because experience shows they're often the best option. Over time, we've learned that while weekend detours are frustrating, weekday commute disruptions are even harder for people to manage. Keeping weekday commutes moving matters.

Weekends also give us longer work windows, sometimes 50 hours straight, which allows crews to make meaningful progress. If we tried to do this work only overnight, it would stretch on for months. And travelers have told us clearly: they don't want that, either.

This isn't just about speed. It's about doing the work correctly. Concrete needs time to cure. Materials must be tested to safely carry daily traffic. And it's why much of this work must happen during limited weather windows. Long weekend closures allow crews to stay on site and work more safely. They also reduce how often work zones need to be set up and taken down, a process that takes hours each time and adds up quickly.

Safety comes first

Safety drives every decision we make. When you see closures that extend well beyond the immediate work area, longer tapers or multiple lanes closed, that space isn't arbitrary. It's there to protect the people doing the work and the people driving through it.  Work zone collisions happen nearly every day. And behind each data point is a real person with a real family and a life that can change in an instant. Behind every cone is someone's coworker, someone's parent, someone's friend. Our goal is simple: everyone gets home safely.  Many of our work zones also include the use of a work zone speed camera.

Work zone speed cameras in an active work zone

Making the most of every hour of a road closure

When we have limited work windows, crews use every minute. Projects are carefully sequenced, and when possible, work is bundled (like paving, striping and drainage) to reduce the need for future closures.

But resources are stretched thin. Across Washington and the country, there's a shortage of skilled workers and specialized equipment. Crews and tools move from one job to the next. We can't simply add new teams when one project finishes early.

Weather adds another layer of complexity. A rainy weekend can shift an entire sequence of work, creating a domino effect across multiple projects. That's the reality of building and maintaining a live transportation system.

The overall effect: everything feels congested

When major highways are under construction, traffic doesn't disappear. People still need to get where they're going: for work, school, appointments, events and time with family and friends. Freight keeps moving too.

When we close a corridor like I-5, I-405 or I-90, traffic shifts onto other highways and local roads that weren't built for that volume. Even with signed detours and coordinated signal timing, traffic spreads. A short cross-town trip can take much longer during major closures.

At the same time, WSDOT is not the only agency doing construction. Cities, counties and transit agencies across the region are delivering major projects of their own from new transit lines and trail connections to interchange rebuilds and local bridge work. These investments are essential, but together, they mean much of the region's transportation network is under construction at once.

You still have options

Even in a system under construction, travelers have choices. Those choices matter even more during extended construction periods like the one we're in now. Transit, park and rides, flexible schedules and real-time information can make a meaningful difference, especially during major closures and busy event weekends. Using transit for part of your trip, or driving to a park and ride and then transferring, can help avoid parking costs and inner-city congestion while still keeping flexibility.

We know these next two years of construction will be tougher than previous years.  Planning ahead makes a difference. Here are some resources that can help:

• Community Transit – Plan My Trip
• King County Metro – Trip Planner
• Pierce Transit – Trip Itineraries
• Sound Transit – Schedules and routes

Another helpful tool is Flip Your Trip, which brings together biking, scooting, walking, transit and rideshare options to help people get around Seattle safely and easily.

The bottom line

Construction isn't just something we do. It's how we keep Washington's roads, bridges and highways strong, reliable and ready for the future. Much of this work reflects what travelers have been asking for: improved safety, smoother roads, resilient bridges and an investment in our infrastructure.

A victory emerges from December’s historic flooding

By Antonio Estrada

December storms are nothing new in Washington, but their effects can be. In December 2025, a series of powerful atmospheric rivers hit the state. They dumped over 10 inches of rain in some areas. The result was catastrophic flooding, landslides and widespread damage to homes, businesses and roads. However, there were a few areas that got a lot of rain but didn’t flood.

For decades, the stretch of southbound Interstate 5 near the Fife curve was known as a trouble spot for chronic flooding. During heavy rainstorms, it was inevitable that lanes would close due to flooding. That disrupted freight, daily commutes and emergency response. This year, despite intense rainfall and closures on other state routes, all lanes of I-5 in this area stayed open. So, what changed?

I-5 near the Fife curve is in a unique landscape. Long before the interstate existed, this area was a natural wetland and floodplain. Over time, development routed Hylebos Creek into irrigation channels and changed the floodplain into farmland. That limited where floodwater could go. During prolonged and heavy rainfall, water from a swollen Hylebos Creek and highway runoff would pool where it didn’t belong – on the freeway.

For years, the result was predictable: heavy rain meant flooding, and flooding meant closures. It was a recurring problem with real consequences for the region’s economy and mobility.

The storms that hit in December 2025 delivered a lot of rainfall in a short period of time – exactly the kind of conditions that have caused problems for this section of I-5. But this time, all lanes stayed open.

Since 2022, crews working on the SR 167 Completion Project have been restoring former wetland areas and streams on either side of I-5 in Fife. The project revitalizes over 150 acres of land. It establishes new stormwater control in the area by giving flood water a place to go rather than the freeway. Streams were widened and realigned to create more natural channels. These channels reconnect the active stream with restored wetlands which act as a storage place for flood water.

In other words, the area was intentionally re-shaped to once again function like a floodplain - a place where flood water goes so it can slowly seep into the soil and streams instead of overwhelming stream banks and pooling on the road.

Aerial photo of I-5 near the Fife curve, looking south, during the December 2025 storms across Washington.

The result of December’s storms was clear: floodwater moved through the restored floodplain wetlands and stream systems as intended, and traffic kept moving too.

Photos from past storms show parts of I-5 underwater. When compared with images from December, the contrast is striking: the same location, the same type of storm, but a very different outcome.

Aerial view of historic flooding at I-5 near the Fife curve, looking north, due to heavy rainfall. The right lanes of southbound I-5 (on the left) and the left lane of northbound I-5 (on the right) are closed because of water on the road.

These pictures tell the story clearly. What was once a weak point in the system is now a strength.

Keeping lanes open on a major interstate during a major storm isn’t just convenient, it’s critical. Freight deliveries continue, commutes stay reliable and emergency services can move when they need to.

This project shows how long-term planning and investment can pay off when conditions are toughest. It supports infrastructure that’s built not just for average days, but for extreme weather events that are becoming more common.

The December 2025 storms caused real damage across the state, and recovery work continues. But as we take stock of what needs fixing, it’s just as important to recognize what’s working well.

The floodplain wetland and stream restoration near I-5 in Fife shows how a long-standing flooding challenge can be transformed into a lasting solution. Through thoughtful design, environmental restoration and strong partnerships, the project has created infrastructure that is more resilient and better equipped to meet future demands.