After seven months of Tukwila traffic construction headaches for Westfield Southcenter Mall drivers and businesses, city crews Thursday evening will reopen Southcenter Parkway and Klickitat Drive.

Seattle Sounders players Leo Gonzales and David Estrada and assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson helped celebrate the reopening of the streets during a Thursday afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Sounders practice at Starfire Sports in Tukwila.

A few temporary lane closures are expected over the next few weeks as Atkinson Construction finishes up the $15.6 million project to improve access to Southcenter Mall.

The projects remaining include turning on a new traffic signal just south of Strander Boulevard; construction of concrete sidewalks near the Doubletree Hotel; installation of a large sign across Southcenter Parkway near the new tunnel with arrows indicating which lane to be in for access to Interstate 5, State Route 518, Strander Boulevard and Southcenter Parkway; continued landscape maintenance; and permanent asphalt striping.

Crews started work in March and the street closures hampered businesses as some drivers simply avoided the construction area.

Drivers will notice a big change with the lowering of the southbound lanes of Southcenter Parkway north of Strander Boulevard. They also will be able to use a new bridge that will connect Klickitat Drive and the northbound lanes of Southcenter Parkway.

For more information, go to www.southcenteraccess.com or call the project message line at 206-431-2444.

 

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Contact Tukwila Reporter Reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@tukwilareporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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