In Seattle, a major northbound closure of Interstate 5 ended earlier than planned. Work to remove concrete barriers and equipment on the Ship Canal Bridge, which was scheduled to run from Friday night until 5 a.m. Monday, finished Sunday morning. All northbound lanes are open again, a pleasant surprise for drivers who had expected longer delays.
This early reopening is especially significant as Seattle prepares to host six matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Instead of the two lanes that had recently been open, four northbound lanes are now available on the Ship Canal Bridge. Beginning Monday, express lanes will return to their normal schedule: southbound in the mornings and northbound in the evenings. However, the configuration will be temporary — another northbound closure is already planned for July 10 to continue road work.
