Seattle, WA

‘Months of Hell’ return to I-5 around Seattle

Published

1 month ago

January 6, 2026

‘Months of Hell’ return to I-5 around Seattle

We survived it last year, barely, but now we’re in for several “months of Hell” as closures of northbound I-5 across the Ship Canal Bridge return.

You deserve a pat on the back if you survived the “month of Hell” between July and August last summer.

You might need therapy to survive what’s about to happen.

Four ‘months of hell’ inbound

Four “months of Hell” will start this weekend with a full closure of northbound I-5 from downtown Seattle to University District. The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) needs the weekend to set up a work zone across the Ship Canal Bridge.

Come next Monday, the two left lanes of the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be closed 24/7, and this is going to last for four months.

I spoke with Tom Pearce, a communications specialist for WSDOT, about the upcoming work last year.

“We will work for about four months, and then we will pause and pick everything up when the World Cup comes to town,” Pearce said. “When the World Cup ends, we will have another weekend-long closure, reset the work zone, and then we’ll start to work on the right lanes of the northbound Ship Canal Bridge.”

And that will come with a second four-month chunk of lane closures.

I’m not sure if you remember just how bad these similar closures were for that one month last summer, but it was absolutely brutal.

To help with the traffic flow, WSDOT kept the I-5 express lanes open in the northbound direction the entire time. The rationale is that it is the direction of travel of the closures.

What that created was a daily one-hour delay, or more, for southbound I-5 drivers. Tens of thousands of southbound drivers use those express lanes every morning, and with that option gone, they had to stay in the main line, creating a daily five-mile backup to the Edmonds exit down to Northgate.

“We know that it was difficult for travelers, particularly for southbound in the morning on I-5,” Pearce said. “People did well at adapting and using other transportation methods and adjusting their schedules. It went relatively well.”

WSDOT is using all the data it collected during that month of closures and is using to help with congestion this time around.

Here’s the setup going forward

Northbound I-5 will be closed through the downtown corridor all weekend. When it reopens on Monday, only the right two lanes will be open until June 5. That weekend, the entire northbound freeway will be closed to remove the work zone.

The work will take a break during the World Cup until July 10. Then, northbound I-5 will be reduced to just two left lanes until the end of the year. The end date hasn’t been released. It was originally scheduled to wrap up in November.

This is going to cause significant delays around Seattle. My best advice is to alter your schedule and get on the road at least an hour earlier than normal.

And if you think you’ll just jump on the light rail out of Lynnwood to avoid the backup, you’re going to need a plan. That parking lot is full by 7 a.m. most mornings. It will likely be filled earlier than that going forward.

Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.

Follow @https://twitter.com/newsguysully

Source link

Related Topics:Featured Home MyNorthwest.com MyNorthwest.com - Seattle news Sports talk and community.traffic weather

Click to comment

Seattle, WA

NHL Unites Pride Cup features Seattle, Vancouver LGBTQ+ teams in 3rd annual event | NHL.com

Published

4 hours ago

February 15, 2026

Press Room

NHL Unites Pride Cup features Seattle, Vancouver LGBTQ+ teams in 3rd annual event | NHL.com

TORONTO (Feb. 15, 2026) – The National Hockey League in partnership with Pride Tape will host the 2026 NHL Unites Pride Cup for the third consecutive season, featuring members of Vancouver’s The Cutting Edges and the Seattle Pride Hockey Association competing for the Pride Cup trophy on Sat. Feb. 28 and Sun. Mar. 1, in Surrey, British Columbia.

Now in its third year, the expanded two-day event at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex will showcase two LGBTQ+ hockey associations leading the way in the Pacific Northwest. The three-game series will see each organization receive a $25,000 donation in support of their continued community impact.

“The Cutting Edges are honored to be part of the NHL Unites Pride Cup alongside great partners like Seattle Pride Hockey Association, the NHL and Pride Tape,” said Kyle McCarthy, president of The Cutting Edges. “This is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate what hockey is all about, community.”

“The NHL Unites Pride Cup is about more than hockey — it’s about visibility, belonging, and showing LGBTQ+ players and fans that this sport is for them,” said Steven Thompson, president of the Seattle Pride Hockey Association. “We’re incredibly proud to share the ice with the Vancouver Cutting Edges and grateful to the NHL for continuing to invest in community-driven inclusion. Moments like this help shape the future of hockey into one that truly welcomes everyone.”

More than 40 players will participate alongside special guests. League partner, the You Can Play Project will conduct an education session for local coaches to help support an arena environment where LGBTQ+ athletes can play as their authentic selves. While Pride Tape’s Jeff McLean and Dean Petruk, who just celebrated the venture’s 10th anniversary, will be on hand to continue their mission of promoting diversity, equality and inclusion through sport.

“Since the inaugural Pride Cup, we’ve seen hockey communities across the League come together to create a welcoming, respectful experience for everyone who loves the game,” said Kim Davis, NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives, and Legislative Affairs. “At its best, hockey brings people together — fostering inclusive environments for all who play and love the sport. Our Pride initiatives are one of the many ways we continue to live out that commitment.”

The 2026 NHL Unites Pride Cup is part of a longstanding commitment from the NHL to support LGBTQ+ hockey organizations and to host celebrations of authenticity, including the inaugural NHL All-Star Pride Cup during the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto and the 2025 NHL Pride Cup at 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston.

2026 NHL Unites Pride Cup Schedule

All games are free and located at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex (10950 126a St, Surrey, BC V3V 0E5) as well as open to the media and public. Capacity is limited.

Saturday, February 28

11:45 A.M. PT: Game 1

Vancouver Cutting Edges vs. Seattle Pride Hockey Association

4:30 P.M. PT: Game 2

Vancouver Cutting Edges vs. Seattle Pride Hockey Association

Sunday, March 1

1:30 P.M. PT: Coaches Training with You Can Play Project

Registration Required HERE

3:30 P.M. PT: Game 3

Vancouver Cutting Edges vs. Seattle Pride Hockey Association

Source link

Seattle, WA

Jorge Prado withdraws from Seattle SMX Round 6 with a shoulder injury

Published

16 hours ago

February 15, 2026

Press Room

Jorge Prado withdraws from Seattle SMX Round 6 with a shoulder injury

Jorge Prado posted the fastest time in qualification for Round 6 of the SuperMotocross World Championship, but a hard crash in the second session sent him off the track early to have his shoulder evaluated.

Prado was x-rayed by the Alpinestars Medical crew and showed no sign of a break, but after lining up for Heat 2 and taking the gate drop, he realized he would not be healthy enough to race.

Prado withdrew from the heat, and the team immediately announced that he would not line up for the Last Chance Qualifier.

Christian Craig was also unable to line up for the LCQ.

Last week, RJ Hampshire was forced to retire from the round after suffering flu-like symptoms.

Source link

Seattle, WA

Report: Seattle Seahawks interviewing 49ers assistant for OC

Published

1 day ago

February 14, 2026

Press Room

Report: Seattle Seahawks interviewing 49ers assistant for OC

The Seattle Seahawks are interviewing San Francisco 49ers run game coordinator/tight ends coach Brian Fleury for their offensive coordinator job on Saturday, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Why Bump is confident Seahawks will nail their OC search

Fleury is the sixth reported offensive coordinator candidate for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, who are searching for a new OC after Klint Kubiak departed to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach.

Seattle’s other reported OC candidates include four in-house options: quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, run game specialist/assistant offensive line coach Justin Outten, passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and tight ends coach Mack Brown. Arizona Cardinals pass game specialist Connor Senger also was reported as a candidate.

Fleury spent the past seven seasons on 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff. He was the 49ers’ defensive quality control coach in 2019, their offensive quality control coach in 2020-21, their tight ends coach from 2022-24 and their run game coordinator/tight ends coach in 2025.

Fleury began his NFL coaching career as the Buffalo Bills’ quality control coach in 2013. He then spent two seasons in Cleveland, where he was the Browns’ assistant linebackers coach in 2014 and their outside linebackers coach in 2015. He then spent three seasons in Miami, serving as the Dolphins’ football research analyst in 2016 and their director of football research in 2017-18.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Report: Seattle Seahawks block Raiders from interviewing assistant coach
• Report: Seattle Seahawks hiring ex-Ravens DC as inside LB coach
• Report: Seattle Seahawks hiring longtime Ravens assistant coach
• What stands between Seattle Seahawks and a repeat Super Bowl trip
• Offseason Preview: What’s next for Super Bowl champion Seahawks

Follow @CameronVanTil

Source link