The US state of Washington has begun designing and constructing its $107.5m Bellevue Braids project.

Bellevue Braids will have a new system of highway ramps to carry traffic directly between downtown Bellevue and SR-520 without using Interstate 405.

The Bellevue Braids project, meant to reduce congestion on ramps, will be completed by 2012, according to seattlepi.com.

The project required the replacement of an existing noise wall with new ramps and the construction of a wider bridge and entrance ramp to carry traffic directly to the highway.

The State Government also plans to fund and construct a SR-520 exit ramp to help motorists travelling to downtown Bellevue.

The project is funded by gas-tax revenue and the US Federal Government, which provided $30m in stimulus funding to speed construction.