SEATTLE -- Drivers returned to work Monday on a grey and rainy day while construction crews continued their work on northbound Interstate 5.

Department of Transportation officials had worried that Monday's commute would be a tough one since there are only two northbound lanes open and drivers had three for most of last week.

But commuters appeared to have heeded warnings and stayed off I-5. Backups extended only to the Michigan Street exit, which is about what was seen last week.

Alternate routes, however, were much heavier than normal. Drivers saw significant slowdowns on Highway 99 and Interstate 405.

Monday morning is typically the heaviest traffic commute of the week, but no firm numbers were immediately available for today's commute.

"We're about halfway through the project now and people have already been forced to adjust for a full week," said DOT assistant regional administrator Dave McCormick, who worried that too many drivers would be hitting the road this week.

Workers are replacing expansion joints and repaving the freeway's northbound lanes along a one-mile stretch just south of downtown.

Engineers predict the work will be done by Aug. 25 - five days ahead of schedule.

Collector-distributor lane signage updated

Transportation officials have changed some signs through the construction zone in hopes of ending some confusion among motorists.

The sign at exit 164A now has a shield for both I-5 and I-90.

DOT spokeswoman Erin Bogenschutz said some drivers have been panicking and darting left out of an exit-only lane at the I-90 interchange, not realizing that the exit will also let them reconnect to I-5. (See detailed map below.)

Another change: an orange sign on the right side of the freeway now reads "I-5 North" with arrows for both lanes.

Commuters have been confused by the right-side collector-distributor lane, which many believe is an exit-only lane.

On Friday many drivers were trying to cut into the left lane at the last minute, further slowing already heavy traffic. One even put his car into reverse and backed up into oncoming traffic to get into the left lane.

Crews on schedule despite rain delay

Construction crews worked through the overnight and morning rain on Sunday, replacing expansion joints on northbound I 5 heading into Seattle.

They couldn't pave during the wet weather, but crews found a break in the rain and brought out a giant blow dryer to get the existing pavement ready to be resurfaced.

The state Department of Transportation says a six-hour window of dry weather is needed for repaving to be done properly.

Officials said work on 19 of 34 expansion joints between the West Seattle Bridge and I-90 is now complete.
 

For More Information:

Check our online traffic section for continuing coverage of the I-5 construction project, get your questions answered by KOMO traffic reporter Jenni Hogan, and check travel times, live cameras and more:

http://www.komotv.com/traffic