A new on-ramp is open after more than a month of construction and shoulder closures along Snoqualmie Parkway.

The on-ramp was created to help alleviate backups on Snoqualmie Parkway that sometimes extend from the westbound Interstate 90 on-ramp through the unsigned intersection with Southeast 99th Street.

People had concerns of safety and access over the traffic. And it’s those concerns that prompted the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the city of Snoqualmie to create plans for the on-ramp.

The improvements were projected to cost about $1.2 million. The cost, however, was shared between the Snoqualmie Tribe, WSDOT and other benefiting municipalities.

Construction for the on-ramp — built in the decommissioned weigh station area near Exit 25 — was scheduled to run until completion at the end of December. Construction was complete before the end of the year.

The newly constructed right-only on-ramp lane runs adjacent to the lane previously used by vehicles from Snoqualmie Parkway and state Route 18 (SR 18), according to the city of Snoqualmie. The original lane now is dedicated to traffic turning left from SR 18 to westbound I-90. Traffic meters for both ramps before they merge will be activated during high-commute times.