Traffic alert: Several weeks of overnight lane closures on I-5 between Fife, Tacoma
TACOMA, Wash. - Heads up to drivers in the south: starting Thursday, Aug. 11, there will be several weeks of overnight closures on Interstate-5 between Fife and Tacoma.
Starting at 7:30 p.m., lane closures are expected on northbound I-5 near East McKinley Way. These closures will take place Monday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m. before reopening at 4:30 a.m. the following day. On Fridays and Saturdays, the lanes close at 10 p.m. and reopen by 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively.
Starting 9 p.m., lanes will be closed on southbound I-5 near Port of Tacoma Road. The Monday through Thursday closures will start at 9 p.m. and reopen by 6 a.m. the following day. On Fridays and Saturdays, the lanes will close at 11 p.m. and reopen 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), triple lane closures are expected for some of the work.
On Sunday, June 26, crews opened a new general-purpose lane and two new auxiliary lanes on northbound I-5. The new lanes run from SR 16 in Tacoma to Port of Tacoma Road in Fife.
The new HOV lanes on northbound and southbound I-5 are anticipated to open no later than Aug. 31, according to WSDOT.
WSDOT said the project is expected to be completed by September of this year.
The project replaces the 1965 southbound I-5 Puyallup River Bridge. The new bridge is built to current seismic standards and will be straighter and wider than the previous bridge.
The project also modifies the Port of Tacoma Road on-ramp to southbound I-5, demolishes the existing old I-5 bridges over the Puyallup River, demolishes and rebuilds the East L Street overpass that crosses I-5, replaces existing concrete pavement from McKinley Avenue to Portland Avenue, upgrades signing, illumination, stormwater collection facilities, and water quality treatment facilities, according to WSDOT.
Revive I-5 work also continues in Seattle
That's not the only project on I-5 this weekend - Revive I-5 continues near I-90 in Seattle:
The first weekend with pavement work will begin at about 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, and will continue through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 15. We'll work on the left lanes, which means:
- All traffic will use the collector/distributor
- The I-90 ramps to southbound I-5 will be closed, except for two hours after stadium events
- The express lanes also will remain northbound all weekend, because the southbound merge point is inside the work zone
Give yourself extra time if you're traveling.