I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program
The I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project is one of 150 projects that make up the WSDOT I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program.
The I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program stretches from Lynnwood to Sumner, forming the only north-south highway alternative to I-5 in the Puget Sound region. The area also continues to experience a huge growth in new residents and large businesses. This growth has created new jobs and economic benefits. But it has also made it more difficult to travel along the corridor.
Both the I-405 Master Plan and the SR 167 Corridor Plan recommend connecting I-405 and SR 167 to form a seamless corridor program with a variety of transportation options to address current and future needs. The combined plans provide a 20+ year vision for the corridor. The plans include new highway lanes, improved interchanges with local connections, expanded bus service including BRT, a two-lane express toll lane system (SR 167 HOT Lanes and the I-405 Express Toll Lanes), and local improvements for pedestrians and cyclists.
The I-405/SR-167 Program's goal is to make travel easy, safe, affordable, and reliable for everyone who uses the corridor to get around. Better transportation systems will improve our quality of life and economic future. Learn more about the I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program.
I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project
In May 2022, WSDOT chose three design-build contract proposers for the I-405, Northeast 85th Street Interchange, and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project. In December 2022, the project team awarded the design-build contract to Graham Contracting, Ltd. Early construction activities began in early spring 2023.
The project design aligns with the I-405/SR 167 Program's corridor-wide vision and Master Plan by:
- Building new ramps to Express Toll Lanes (ETLs) to improve travel on highway lanes and provide all travelers with a more reliable, convenient trip. These new ETL ramps will connect people to the continuous 50-mile I-405/SR 167 ETL system that WSDOT is constructing along the corridor.
- Adding a Sound Transit Stride bus rapid transit (BRT) station and providing connections to local transit services. BRT stations add transportation options that can carry a large volume of passengers safely, reliably, and affordably. With buses running as often as every 10 minutes, this new station will connect to Link light rail at Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tukwila, and other transit services provided by Sound Transit, Community Transit, and King County Metro.
- Involving and engaging with community members, businesses, and partners in the decision-making and design process. WSDOT, Sound Transit, the City of Kirkland, and King County Metro conducted regular community, business, and partner outreach to learn about community priorities for the project design. The project team will continue to keep everyone updated as construction progresses.
- Increasing livability for communities along the corridor. This project will make transit more accessible and improve mobility along the I-405 corridor and throughout the region. This project also supports the City of Kirkland's 2021 - 2026 Capital Improvement Program, working to make the community safer, healthier, and more vibrant.
We completed the required environmental, operational, and safety reviews and initiated the necessary property acquisitions to move the project forward. Construction began in early 2023, and we anticipate the new interchange opening to traffic in early 2027.
Milestone
December 2022
Project team awarded the design-build contract to Graham Contracting, Ltd
Spring 2023
Early construction activities
Fall 2023
Significant construction activities start
Winter 2026
Substantial construction complete and portions of project open to traffic
Winter 2027
Expected project completion
The project is funded primarily by Sound Transit voter-approved funding. WSDOT will contribute $10M from toll revenue for Express Toll Lane (ETL) sections of the project.
Meetings and briefings
Spring 2025, Community webinar - May 27, 2025
On Tuesday, May 27, representatives from WSDOT and Graham hosted a community webinar. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations in the area, demolition of the old bridges, and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. There was also a question-and-answer segment at the end of the presentation.
Winter 2025, Community webinar - Feb. 4, 2025
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, representatives from WSDOT, Graham Contracting Ltd., City of Kirkland, and Sound Transit hosted the winter quarterly update meeting. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations in the area, upcoming traffic switches and a new lane alignment, and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. The team also answered questions from community members.
Fall 2024, Community webinar - Sept. 24, 2024
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, representatives from WSDOT, Graham Contracting Ltd., and Sound Transit hosted the fall quarterly update meeting. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations in the area, upcoming full weekend closures on Northeast 85th Street starting in late October or early November and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. The team also answered questions from community members.
Summer 2024, Community webinar - June 18, 2024
On Tuesday, June 18, representatives from WSDOT, Graham Contracting Ltd., Sound Transit, and City of Kirkland hosted the summer quarterly update meeting. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations in the area, night and weekend lane reductions in July, two weekend closures in Sept., and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. The team also answered questions from community members.
Spring 2024, Community webinar - March 26, 2024
On Tuesday, March 26, representatives from WSDOT, Graham Contracting Ltd., Sound Transit, and City of Kirkland hosted the spring quarterly update meeting. The meeting focused on current project status, project schedule, construction expectations in the area, and an update on the timing of the traffic signals on Northeast 85th Street, and how the public can stay informed and contact the project team. The team also answered questions from community members.
Fall 2023, Community webinar - Dec. 6, 2023
On Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, representatives from WSDOT, Graham, Sound Transit, and City of Kirkland hosted a quarterly update meeting. The team shared information about the project and its benefits, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), shared construction updates, and encouraged people to stay informed. The team also answered questions from community members.
Summer 2023, Community webinar - July 27, 2023
On Thursday, July 27, 2023, the I-405/NE 85th Street Interchange and BRT Station Project team hosted their first quarterly project update meeting. The team presented information on the project’s purpose and benefits, shared the latest progress updates, a look-ahead to upcoming work, the project schedule, anticipated construction impacts, and how the team will keep the community informed.
WSDOT
This video provides an overview of the interchange concept. Improvements include a new STRIDE Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, connections for people who walk, bike or roll, and direct access to I-405 Express Toll Lanes. Construction began this year and runs through 2026/2027.
The I-405/Northeast 85th Street Interchange and Sound Transit Inline Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station Project is one of 150 projects that make up the WSDOT I-405/SR 167 Corridor Program.
Sound Transit
Sound Transit's Stride bus rapid transit is a new fast, frequent and reliable bus service connecting to light rail and to communities north, east and south of Lake Washington.
