Traffic stretched five miles on I-405 in Kirkland last June, backing up past Interstate 90 and choking neighborhood streets with desperate commuters. Frustrated drivers turned around on ramps, going the wrong way to escape gridlock. The Washington State Department of Transportation watched it unfold, then did something rare for a state agency: they apologized.
“We want to start with an apology,” WSDOT posted to Facebook on July 1, 2025, the day after crews finally reopened northbound I-405. The WSDOT I-405 closure apology came after a weekend paving project turned the Eastside’s main artery into a parking lot.
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Three Days of Standstill
Northbound I-405 shut down at 11 p.m. Friday, June 27, 2025. Crews needed to repave a 3.5-mile stretch between Northeast 70th Street and Northeast 124th Street. The closure was supposed to last until early Monday morning.
By Saturday afternoon, the backup hit five miles. Cars sat motionless from Kirkland back to I-90. Drivers abandoned the freeway for surface streets, which couldn’t handle the volume. Residents described scenes of “bumper to bumper as far as you can see.”
Some motorists, stuck for hours with no apparent progress, drove up exit ramps the wrong way to escape.
“We Need to Do Better”
WSDOT’s Facebook apology acknowledged what thousands of drivers already knew. “Traffic backups were long. Local neighborhood streets were congested. For many, the detours simply didn’t feel like enough.”
Craig Smiley, WSDOT communications representative, didn’t make excuses. “We like to own our mistakes. And if we’re making mistakes, we want to acknowledge that, we want to learn from them.”
The department said it made real-time adjustments with local partners during the weekend but admitted those changes weren’t enough. “We know we need to do better, and we will.”
Crews did finish the paving ahead of schedule, reopening three lanes Sunday evening instead of Monday morning. They opened the express toll lanes free to all drivers. But for people who sat in traffic Saturday, the early completion didn’t matter.
The Construction Reality
The June paving was part of the I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Inline BRT Station Project. WSDOT is rebuilding this section of highway to add bus rapid transit stations and improve traffic flow.
It’s one piece of work happening across a 50-mile corridor that sees more than 95,000 vehicles daily. The larger I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project will add new lanes and create a dual express toll system from Renton to Bellevue.
That project is running behind. Originally scheduled to finish by the end of 2025, WSDOT now says summer 2027. The agency blames the contractor for missing milestones and falling behind schedule. WSDOT has taken the contractor to court.
More Closures Followed
Two weeks after the June disaster, WSDOT scheduled another round of closures for July 11-14. This time: southbound I-405 in Kirkland, northbound I-405 in Renton, and southbound SR 167 in Kent.
The department activated its Emergency Operations Center and stationed uniformed officers along detour routes. They postponed the SR 167 closure at the last minute, working with the contractor to reduce regional impacts.
“It’s a puzzle to put together all these closures and try to minimize them as much as we possibly can,” Smiley said before that July weekend.
When asked if the lessons from June would lead to smoother summer travel, he offered no promises. “Talk to me in October.”
Smiley noted that 2025 and 2026 are the busiest construction years WSDOT has seen in a decade. Summer provides the only reliable weather window for this type of work.
What Changed
WSDOT promised better communication with cities and law enforcement agencies for future closures. The goal: alert motorists earlier and help them navigate detours before they get stuck.
The agency recommends drivers:
- Download the WSDOT mobile app for live traffic updates
- Sign up for construction alerts at I405SR167Program@wsdot.wa.gov
- Use public transit or light rail when major closures are scheduled
- Check the WSDOT Travel Center map before trips
- Allow extra time during construction weekends
Smiley was direct about limitations. “The detours can’t handle the volumes the freeways normally handle. We need everybody’s patience and in the end it will be worth it, but it’s going to be tough going.”
Why It Matters Now
The apology itself was notable. State transportation departments rarely admit mistakes publicly. But WSDOT faced drivers who had experienced hours of delays with limited information about alternatives or how long conditions would last.
The June closure exposed how dependent the region has become on I-405. When the highway closes, there aren’t good alternatives. Surface streets can’t absorb 95,000 vehicles. Detours add 30 to 45 minutes to trips that normally take 10 minutes.
Construction will continue through 2026. More weekend closures are scheduled. WSDOT says the work will eventually reduce congestion and improve reliability on one of the state’s worst commutes.
But first, drivers have to get through it. The WSDOT I-405 closure apology acknowledged what commuters face: years of disruption for the promise of better roads later.
