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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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