What normally is a 25-minute trip in good conditions between Renton and Bellevue on northbound I-405 was taking about two hours Saturday, as the state was laying “quiet” asphalt on the freeway.

Officials are urging that travelers use alternate routes, such as Interstate 5 or State Route 520. The work was creating heavy congestion into Renton.

Officials warn that delays could be even worse on Sunday.

SUNDAY CLOSURES

Beginning at midnight Saturday, crews will:

* Close three right lanes on northbound I-405 between Coal Creek Parkway and SE Eighth Street.

* Close ramps from northbound I-405 to eastbound and westbound I-90.

* Close the on-ramp from Coal Creek Parkway to northbound I-405

Detour I-90 drivers to NE Eighth Street and turn them back around to southbound I-405 to access I-90.

* Close the off-ramp to SE Eighth Street

* Open the I-5 express lanes in the northbound direction to keep south to north traffic moving. Drivers are encouraged to take northbound I-5 to I-90 or SR 520 to get to Bellevue.

WSDOT also reminds drivers that the Danskin Triathlon will close the I-90 express lanes until 10:30 a.m. and the Seattle Mariners take on the New York Yankees at Safeco Field at 1:10. It will be very busy unless drivers plan ahead, warn officials.

The Washington state Department of Transportation’s study into the use of “quieter” pavement on Western Washington highways continues all weekend on northbound I-405 through Bellevue.

Crews will funnel traffic down to one northbound lane to place quieter asphalt pavement test sections.

The latest segment of quieter asphalt pavement is the third test section in the region for this study. The previous two test sections were installed on southbound I-5 through Lynnwood in 2006 and on SR 520 between Medina and Bellevue in 2007. The data collected by WSDOT engineers shows the first two test sections are not performing well. But experts believe this third section is different from the previous tests and may perform differently.

“So far, our quieter pavement test sections are not performing well,” said Tom Baker, WSDOT state materials engineer. “Any audible noise reduction was lost within the first six months after paving. Today both quieter pavement test sections are just as loud to the human ear as sections paved at the same time with our standard asphalt.”

But, the experiment is not complete just yet. WSDOT pavement engineers still see a value in testing quieter asphalt pavement on I-405 in Bellevue using different methods and different additives than used in other places.

The paving is part of a $124 million construction contract that adds lanes to both directions of I-405 in south Bellevue. Construction is scheduled to be completed this year and includes one new northbound lane between 112th Avenue Southeast and Southeast Eighth Street and two new southbound lanes from SE Eighth Street to I-90. The project is funded by the 2003 and 2005 gas tax packages.