Seeing double

You don’t need your eyes checked – you will see double on the north end of Interstate 405. Between Northeast 160th Street in Bothell and Interstate 5 in Lynnwood, crews will install double white lines to separate the HOV lane from the far left lane as early as Friday, Sept. 18. This work is the first step in installing 300,000 feet—that’s almost the same distance as 500 Space Needles—of new lane striping on I-405 for the new express toll lanes set to open on Sunday, Sept. 27.

As of today (Sept. 17) carpoolers have continuous access to the HOV lane, which means they can enter and exit at any point. Once the double white lines are installed, drivers may enter and exit the HOV lane only at designated access points marked by a dashed white line. Drivers who illegally cross the double white line could receive a $136 ticket from Washington State Patrol.

“This will be a big change for carpoolers traveling between Bothell and Lynnwood, and we expect some initial confusion and frustration on the commute as drivers adjust,” said Lisa Hodgson, WSDOT project engineer. “We encourage drivers to become familiar with the new access points ahead of time by using WSDOT’s interactive map tool or by calling the project hotline. We know there will be a learning curve.”

Starting as early as Saturday, Sept.19, access to the HOV lane will be restricted to the following locations:

Northbound I-405 from Northeast 160th in Bothell and I-5 in Lynnwood
• Entry points:
o South and north of SR 527
• Exit points:
o South and north of SR 527
o South of I-5

Southbound I-405 from I-5 in Lynnwood to Northeast 160th in Bothell
• Entry points:
o South of I-5
o North and south of SR 527
• Exit points:
o North and south of SR 527

The new roadway striping will give drivers a feel for how the new express toll lane system will function prior to opening in less than two weeks. WSDOT developed an interactive map of entry and exit points to help drivers plan their trip in the express toll lanes and understand how toll rates signs work.

“This is the next step in the transformation of I-405 for express toll lanes” said Jennifer Charlebois, WSDOT toll systems engineer. “Earlier this week drivers saw new toll signs in the project area. These are big changes for I-405 that will require patience and preparation over the next two weeks before we open the system.”

Crews will add double white lines and restripe the roadway from Northeast Sixth Street in Bellevue to Northeast 160th Street during the following weekend, starting on Friday, Sept. 25. Lane striping work is sequential and weather dependent. If rain delays the restriping work, the Sept. 27 opening date could also be delayed. For the most up to date information, visit the project’s construction updates webpage.

Drivers should visit GoodToGo405.org to learn more about I-405 express toll lanes, and watch an animated video that illustrates what a trip may look like in the new system.