6 Month Road Closure Near Campus
Apr 4, 2025Starting this month, commuters driving to Bellevue College may need to find a new way to get to campus every day for six months.
Commuters driving to Bellevue College from the west and south may need to find a new way to get to campus every day for six months starting on or around April 21.
Road construction will close all lanes on Southeast Eastgate Way and reduce some lanes on Interstate 90 (I-90) to build a new bridge for a fish barrier removal project.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), drivers will not be able to use Southeast Eastgate Way between Richards Road and 139th Avenue Southeast until October 2025. The stretch of road affected is near Seattle Humane, Polaris, Porch Light, and Plymouth Crossing. Construction will primarily occur between 7 AM and 3:30 PM, but road access will remain closed to drivers for the full six months of construction. Limited access for locals, pedestrians, and cyclists will be available, however. Local access will still be permitted to the east and west of the closure area during construction.
Both eastbound and westbound lanes will shift on I-90 between 142nd Place Southeast and I-405 as construction for new freeway bridges over Sunset Creek takes place through early 2026.
Students, employees, and visitors driving to the Bellevue College campus should allow for extra commute time and expect increased traffic along alternative routes.
Southeast Eastgate Way Alternative Routes to Bellevue College:
- Heading northbound Factoria Boulevard Southeast, travel eastbound (turn right) on Southeast 36th Street (near Honda Auto Center of Bellevue). Then turn northbound (left) onto 142nd Place Southeast, which turns into Snoqualmie River Road. This road provides a direct entrance to Bellevue College’s south entrance.
- From either northbound or southbound on Richards Road, turn eastbound onto Southeast 26th Street. Then turn southbound onto 139th Avenue Southeast. Drivers should then turn eastbound onto Southeast 32nd Street, which will provide direct access to Bellevue College’s south entrance.
About the Project
As part of Washington state’s fish recovery efforts, WSDOT is reconnecting waterways where roads block fish passage. In this construction project, WSDOT is building bridges over Sunset Creek in Bellevue along both directions of I-90, Southeast Eastgate Way, and Southeast 36th Street in Bellevue. These bridges will replace culverts that block fish passage and allow natural stream conditions to return in Sunset Creek. This work will happen in stages until early 2027.