Seafair Blue Angel fly-overs to start tomorrow

The Blue Angels are getting ready for a weekend of low-flying stunts over Lake Washington as part of one of the biggest weekends of the summer, Seafair.

Photo from Queen Anne in 2010

The planes will be practicing for the next couple days, gearing up for the big show this weekend. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) warns Interstate 90 will be closed for both the practices and full show, from Thursday through Sunday.

From WSDOT:

As Seafair heads into full swing with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels air shows, traffic from the Interstate 90 floating bridges will have to take alternate routes daily from Thursday, Aug. 2, to Sunday, Aug. 5, while the bridges are closed. Drivers should expect heavy traffic and delays in the greater Seattle and Bellevue areas.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will close I-90 from Interstate 5 in Seattle to Island Crest Way on Mercer Island during Blue Angels’ practice flights and performances. Certain I-90 and I-5 ramps will also close 30 minutes to one hour before flight times. Drivers who need to cross Lake Washington should plan to do so at least one hour before the closures or use an alternate route, such as Interstate 405 or State Route 522.

This is the current closure schedule for I-90:

• Thursday, Aug. 2:  9:45 a.m. to noon, and 1:15 to 2:30 p.m., (practice)
• Friday, Aug. 3:  12:45 to 2:40 p.m., (practice)
• Saturday, Aug. 4:  12:45 to 2:40 p.m., (full show)
• Sunday, Aug. 5:  12:45 to 2:40 p.m., (full show)

For a full list of closure information, visit WSDOT’s Seafair closure site.