Interstate 5 South - King County North

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Interstate 5 South
Heading south through the city of Shoreline, Interstate 5 approaches the Exit 176 diamond interchange with NE 175th Street. 08/29/06
One half mile north of the Exit 176 off-ramp to NE 175th Street. NE 175th Street travels west to Richmond Highlands and east to North City within Shoreline. NE 145th Street (SR 523) follows at the Seattle city line in two miles. 08/30/06
Exit 176 departs Interstate 5 south, SR 523, a 2.45 mile route linking SR 99 (Aurora Avenue North) with SR 522 (Lake City Way NE) meets the freeway in 1.5 miles. 08/30/06
Interstate 5 south enters a diamond interchange for the Metro Transit's North Base next. Only transit employees are permitted to use these otherwise restricted ramps. 08/30/06
SR 523 straddles the Shoreline and Seattle city line along NE 145th Street west to Bitter Lake and Parkwood and east to Paramount Park and Kenwood from Exit 175. 08/30/06
The left lane remains an HOV-2 restricted facility of Interstate 5. 08/29/06
Exit 175 constitutes a modified diamond interchange between Interstate 5 and NE 145th Street. Ramps along the northbound side interact with parallel 5th Avenue North at Paramount Park and Jackson Park Golf Course. 08/30/06
Splitting from the freeway ahead are the Interstate 5 Express Lanes. The reversible roadway begins and travels southward to the Columbia Street ramp at the Seattle city center. 08/29/06
Passing within the NE 130th Street half diamond interchange (Exit 174 of Interstate 5 north), southbound drivers near the Express Lane ramp. The lanes shift direction on a weekly schedule to aid in peak hour traffic or during special events. See the WSDOT King County Express Lanes page for a detailed schedule. 08/30/06
Exit 173 leaves Interstate 5 south in one half mile for Northgate Way. Northgate Way constitutes an east-west arterial between SR 99 (North Aurora Avenue) at North Park and SR 522 at Victory Heights. 08/30/06
The Interstate 5 Express Lanes commence just south of the North 107th Street on-ramp at Northgate and travel south to the Mercer Street interchange (Exit 167). On-ramps join the reversible lanes from Lake City Way, Ravenna Boulevard, and NE 42nd Street between Northgate and Capitol Hill. 08/30/06
A three-quarter cloverleaf interchange facilitates the movements between Interstate 5 and Northgate Way utilizing connections with 1st Avenue NE and Corliss Avenue NE to the west. Use Exit 173 to Meridian Avenue south for North Seattle Community College. 08/30/06
Exit 173 utilizes a collector distributor roadway along Interstate 5 south for the respective ramps to Northgate Way. Northgate Mall sprawls along the southeast quadrant of Northgate Way and 1st Avenue NE. The mall area receives its own ramp from the I-5 Express Lanes northbound. 08/29/06
HOV-approved motorists are permitted to use the Interstate 5 Express Lanes during their southbound periods of operation. All others must remain on the general purpose lanes to the outside of Interstate 5. 08/30/06
A parting shot of the loop ramp of Exit 173 south onto Northgate Way east. 08/30/06
Continuing south, Interstate 5 sees a pair of ramps connecting with NE 85th Street west and NE 80th Street via Corliss Way south at Exit 172. 08/30/06
The Exit 173 c/d roadway returns and forms an auxiliary lane to Exit 172. NE 85th Street stems west from Banner Way NE / Corliss Way N (Interstate 5 frontage roads) to Greenwood, Loyal Heights, and Metum on Shilshole Bay. 08/29/06
NE 80th Street travels east-west two blocks to the south of North 85th Street to serve the Green Lake area southwest of Interstate 5. 08/30/06
Exit 172 leaves Interstate 5 and quickly splits into separate ramps for North 85th Street west and Corliss Way south. NE 80th Street provides access to SR 522 (Lake City Way), Maple Leaf, and Wedgwood east of Interstate 5. SR 522 ends at a partial wye interchange with Interstate 5 next. 08/30/06, 08/29/06
Exit 171 of Interstate 5 south connects the freeway with 6th Avenue NE ahead of its intersection with NE 70th Street east of Green Lake. 08/29/06
Southbound at the Exit 171 ramp departure to 6th Avenue NE. NE 65th Street passes over the freeway further south. Drivers taking Exit 171 must navigate the street grid to reach NE 65th Street, an east-west through street to Green Lake and Ravenna. 08/30/06
Interstate 5 rises onto a viaduct between Weedin Place and Ravenna Boulevard near the Meridian neighborhood of Seattle. Interests to Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Pacific University are directed onto NE 50th Street west toward Fremont. NE 45th Street follows as the route to the University of Washington campus on Union Bay. 08/30/06
A collector distributor roadway facilitates the movements to NE 50th Street and NE 45th Street at Exit 169. Ramps rise from the roadway onto parallel 5th Avenue NE to make the connections with the east-west streets. 08/30/06
Exit 169 branches off the southbound mainline for NE 50th and NE 45th Streets. NE 45th Street becomes a part of SR 513 at University Village. SR 513 is a 3.35 mile spur northeast from SR 520 to Naval Station Puget Sound. 08/29/06
An on-ramp emerges from below Interstate 5, bringing motorists onto the left lanes from Ravenna Boulevard. 08/30/06
NE 50th and 45th Streets lead west to the Meridian and Wallingford neighborhoods and east to the University section of Seattle. 08/30/06
Interstate 5 crosses the Lake Washington Ship Canal, a waterway linking Lake Union and Portage Bay. The Express Lanes descend and travel a deck below the eight lane mainline. 08/30/06
Traffic slows along Interstate 5 south on the 0.75 mile approach to SR 520 (Exit 168B). Congestion is common along this stretch of freeway due to the "Mercer Street Merge". Weaving traffic movements between the SR 520 westbound on-ramp from the left and the following the Mercer Street (Exit 167) exit ramp to the right cause motorists to brake, resulting in regular traffic back ups. 08/29/06
SR 520 begins and heads east from Exit 168B through Montlake to Lake Washington. The 12.82 mile route exists as a full freeway from Interstate 5 to Bellevue and Redmond, doubling as a commuter route to the high-tech business centers east of the Lake. 08/29/06
A left side ramp sinks below the Interstate 5 Express and northbound travel lanes to join SR 520 east ahead of Montlake and the University of Washington area. A major reconstruction of SR 520, slated to start in 2012, will revamp the freeway between Interstates 5 and 405 and result in a new floating bridge across Lake Washington. This work will be partially funded by the reinstitution of tolls on the lake crossing. 08/29/06
The wide-load prohibition along the current Governor A.D. Rosellini Bridge - Evergreen Point Floating Bridge will be lifted with the completion of the new span. A six lane bridge with shoulders and a bicycle/pedestrian bridge will replace the shoulder less four lane bridge drivers currently use between Union Bay and Medina. 08/29/06
SR 99 (North Aurora Avenue) spans Lake Union to the west along the 1932-built George Washington Memorial Bridge. 08/30/06
Exit 168A departs Interstate 5 from the south end of the Lake Washington Ship Canal bridge to join parallel Boylston Avenue south ahead of Roanoke Street at the North Broadway community. Exit 168B leaves simultaneously for SR 520 east to Kirkland, Bellevue, and Redmond. 08/30/06
Interstate 5 Express Lanes sign bridge listing the next two exits of the southbound HOV-roadway. Non HOV traffic must exit at Mercer Street or Stewart Street. 08/29/06
Interstate 5 sinks below grade and passes under Roanoke Street on the one mile approach to Mercer Street (Exit 167). The Mercer Street connector provides direct access to Mercer Street at Fairview Avenue. Interests to Seattle Center should take Mercer Street west to Broad Street for the Space Needle, Key Arena (former home of the NBA Seattle Supersonics), Pacific Science Center, and the Seattle Repertory Theatre among other attractions. 08/30/06
Five lanes of Interstate 5 south continue from SR 520 onto a viaduct west of Capitol Hill. Exit 167 claims the right lane for Mercer Street while the freeway mainline continues toward Downtown Seattle and Interstate 90. 08/29/06
Southbound reassurance shield posted between the Interstate 5 mainline and Express lanes. The Express Lanes see an off-ramp to Mercer Street that dives below Interstate 5 south to combine with Exit 167. 08/29/06
Westward facing view of Lake Union and Queen Anne Hill from the Interstate 5 viaduct at Blaine Street. 08/30/06
Nearing the directional interchange with the Mercer Street connector on Interstate 5 south. Auxiliary signs direct motorists onto the local lanes for the WSDOT Ferry terminals (Exit 164) and the Seattle stadiums (Exits 165A/164).
Construction began in 2010 on rebuilding the Mercer Street corridor west from Interstate 5. The eastbound flowing street will be redesigned into a six lane boulevard through the South Lake Union neighborhood west toward Seattle Center. Broad Street, a 1950s-era expressway linking Valley Street west with Seattle Center, will be removed as part of the project to rebuild the street grid surrounding Mercer Street and SR 99 (North Aurora Avenue). More details on the city project are found at the Mercer Corridor Project home page. 08/29/06
Exit 167 parts ways with the Interstate 5 viaduct ahead of the Lakeview Boulevard overpass. Mercer Street will replace Valley Street as the gateway into South Lake Union. Interstate 5 meanwhile sees a half diamond interchange (Exit 166) with Stewart Street in one half mile. 08/30/06
Exit 164 constitutes a lengthy collector distributor roadway that eventually leads to Interstate 90 east to Mercer Island and Bellevue. The local roadway also provides access to the various ramps south of downtown Seattle. 08/29/06
A few glimpses of the Seattle Space Needle rising from Seattle Center are afforded to southbound motorists along the Interstate 5 viaduct near Mercer Street. 08/30/06
Stewart Street angles southwest from Exit 166 to Denny Way and Pike Place in downtown Seattle. Denny Way travels west to Belltown and east to Capitol Hill from Interstate 5. 08/30/06
A portion of the Seattle skyline rises in this southbound scene as Interstate 5 lowers toward the cut and cover tunnel under Freeway Park. 08/30/06
Interstate 5 south carries two general purpose and one HOV-2 lane through the Seattle central business district. The right two lanes facilitate access to Exit 165A (James Street) Exit 165B (Union Street) and Exit 164 (Interstate 90). James Street east to Broadway serves interests to Seattle University and Seattle Central Community College. 08/30/06
A dynamic message sign attached to the Denny Way overpass indicates travel times to cities south of Seattle. 08/30/06
Two Union Square anchors the northern extent of the Seattle skyline in this scene along Interstate 5 south at Olive Way. 08/30/06
Boren Avenue and Pine Street intersect directly above Interstate 5 next. 08/29/06
Interstate 5 south travels under the Washington State Convention Center at the Exit 165B off-ramp to Union Street. Union Street flows west to Waterfront Park. 08/29/06
Exit 165A to James Street follows the Union Street off-ramp onto parallel 6th Avenue at Columbia Street. James Street angles northeast from Yesler Way in Pioneer Square to Cheery Street at Seattle University. Exit 164 leaves in one half mile for Interstate 90 east to Spokane. 08/29/06
The first of two cut and cover tunnels shuttle Interstate 5 below Pike Street and 8th Avenue under the convention center. Exit 165B rises from the tunnel to emerge at the intersection of Union Street south at 7th Avenue. 08/29/06, 08/30/06
A two lane off-ramp (Exit 165A) departs for James Street and Seattle City Hall between the two tunnels. This ramp remains underground until after Spring Street. 08/29/06, 08/30/06
Travelers bound for transcontinental Interstate 90 east to Bellevue, Ellensburg, Moses Lake and Spokane leave the Interstate 5 mainline for the Exit 164 c/d roadway. Access is available to both directions of Interstate 90 from Interstate 5 south; the freeway ends to the west at SR 519 (4th Avenue South) within the shadow of CenturyLink Field. 08/30/06
Southbound at the split with the Exit 164 c/d roadway for Interstate 90 east and the ramps for Dearborn Street, 4th Avenue South, and Airport Way. Interstate 90 represents the longest Interstate highway in the system at 3,020.54 miles, ending at Boston, Massachusetts east of Interstate 93. 08/29/06
The 7.14 mile long Interstate 5 Express Lanes draw to a close on the Interstate 5 southbound mainline ahead of Yesler Way. 08/29/06
An on-ramp joins the Exit 164 c/d roadway from parallel 6th Avenue at the Yesler Way overpass. The left lanes of the roadway default onto Interstate 90 east to the Mercer Island Floating Bridge across Lake Washington and Bellevue (I-405). I-90 represents the main route across the Cascade Mountains in Washington, utilizing Snoqualmie Pass at an elevation of 3,022 feet. 08/30/06
The c/d roadway partitions into three movements: Interstate 90 east to Bellevue, return access to Interstate 5 south, and local access to the International District and Yesler Terrace (via Dearborn Street), SoDo and Pioneer Square (via Interstate 90 west to 4th Avenue South) and the Duwamish Industrial Area (via 4th Avenue South and Airport Way). 08/30/06
A two lane flyover shuttles southbound Interstate 5 motorists onto Interstate 90 east ahead of Beacon Hill and Mt. Baker. The Dearborn Street off-ramp leaves from the right as well. Interests to both Safeco and CenturyLink Fields and the WSDOT Seattle Ferry terminal should use Interstate 90 west to SR 519. 08/30/06
The Interstate 5 mainline next meets the Forest Avenue off-ramp to 6th Avenue South (Exit 163B) and the West Seattle Bridge / Spokane Street Viaduct (Exit 163A) at the Duwamish Industrial area. 08/29/06
Continuing along the Exit 164 c/d roadway at the ramp to Interstate 90 west. Interstate 90 comprises a double-deck freeway over Interstate 5 in a local and express configuration. The freeway mainline ends at SR 519 (4th Avenue South) between Qwest and T-Mobile Parks. The Express lanes end at the intersection of Airport Way, 5th Avenue South, and Dearborn Street nearby. 08/30/06
The Airport Way ramp follows and joins Airport Way south of the Interstate 5 & 90 interchange complex. Airport Way winds southward to Boeing Field / King County International Airport (BFI) in southern Seattle. 08/30/06


 


Photo Credits:

08/29/06, 08/30/06 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 90
State Route 520

Page Updated 10-26-2010.

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