West Emerson Street overpass over 15th Avenue West in the Interbay area will be closed the weekend of June 27 while crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation grind the roadway surface and install permanent striping.?This overpass is the lowest overhanging structure on the 15th Avenue West truck route, and since it was built in 1959, its northern girder had suffered damage from being hit by over-height loads passing under it.
At the end of last year, the SDOT completed work to replace this girder and renew the roadway pavement. The goal was to leave a rough surface to improve traction, but the resulting surface was rougher than expected. To address this issue, SDOT crews will grind the pavement, providing a smoother ride while also maintaining improved traction. During this closure, permanent road striping will also be installed.
The crews plan to close the West Emerson overpass at 4 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, and reopen it by 5 a.m. on Monday, June 29. During this time, drivers will follow signed detours in the same fashion as the previous, long term closure. A map of the detour is available on the project website