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Drivers were greeted with long backups across Mercer Island this morning after the Washington Department of Transportation closed a lane of Interstate 90 (I-90) east.

The right lane is blocked as drivers approach the East Channel Bridge on the east side of the island. A failing expansion joint is behind the closure.

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“This joint has been there since 1989,” WSDOT’s James Poling said. “It’s had aggressive maintenance. It’s well past the end of his lifetime, and this is a temporary measure to protect it until we can get the permanent replacement in there.”

The plan is to repave the area sometime in February to restore four lanes through the area. Those lanes will only be 10 feet wide. It will remain in this configuration until next year, when the joint is replaced.

WSDOT said the bridge is fine and that this is just to ensure the expansion joint doesn’t get any worse.

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