Date:  Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Contact: Patty Michaud, WSDOT Communications, (206) 786-4079
Connie Lewis, WSDOT Communications, (425) 471-4222

EVERETT - This Friday night, crews working to improve Interstate 5 through Everett will change the way drivers get to southbound I-5 at 41st Street. Drivers will no longer be able to access southbound I-5 via eastbound 41st Street and the Broadway Avenue on-ramp. However, crews will open a new ramp at the 41st Street interchange that will provide faster and more direct access to southbound I-5.

“Drivers headed for southbound I-5 from eastbound 41st Street will need to change a well worn habit,” said WSDOT Project Director, Mike Cotten. “If you’re trying to reach I-5, stay on 41st Street; but if you end up on Old Broadway, don’t panic. Drivers can still access I-5 at the SR 526 interchange if they continue south.”

While drivers can continue on southbound Broadway Avenue if they take the small ramp next to Evergreen Cemetery, they will not be able to merge with the traffic headed to southbound I-5 from Broadway. Drivers who take the cemetery ramp will need to stay alert as they turn onto Broadway. As part of the changes at the intersection, crews will remove the stop sign that previously metered the southbound Broadway traffic.

This is the fourth and final ramp to open at the new 41st Street interchange. The other three ramps at the interchange opened to traffic in spring 2007.

More changes on the way
“Crews are buttoning up the project and quickly moving through their big milestones,” said Cotten. “Next week we will open the HOV ramps at Broadway.”

I-5 Everett crews continue to work toward their goal to have all lanes and ramps open to traffic by June. They are on track but drivers can expect minor work to continue through summer:

May - June
May 31: open new southbound I-5 on-ramp from 41st Street
June 6: open new I-5 northbound HOV exit to Broadway Avenue
June 6: open new I-5 southbound HOV on-ramp from Broadway Avenue

June - August
• new traffic cameras and ramp meters
• permanent striping
• repair aging expansion joints between 41st Street and Everett Avenue

The $263.4 million project is scheduled to be complete by this summer. Find out more about the I-5 Everett HOV freeway expansion project by visiting www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/HOVSR526toUS2.

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