Date:  Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Contact: Amir Ahmadi, WSDOT Project Engineer, 425-225-8700 (Everett)
Aurora Jones, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4470 (Seattle)

ARLINGTON – On Monday, Jan. 12 WSDOT awarded Northwest Construction, Inc. the contract for a project to reduce congestion at the interchange of I-5 and State Route 531 (172nd Street NE) near Arlington. The state legislature allocated $30.5 million to build upon improvements completed in 2006, when crews replaced the two-lane Smokey Point Bridge over I-5 with a new six-lane bridge.

“This project is an excellent example of how we can reduce congestion by adding capacity to existing infrastructure,” said Paula Hammond, Transportation Secretary. “Improving traffic flow at this interchange will help keep people and businesses moving on I-5 and in the surrounding communities.”

Over the next two years, crews will build a new two-lane ramp from westbound SR 531 to southbound I-5, widen the on- and off-ramps to and from both northbound and southbound I-5, and construct new right-turn lanes from SR 531 to I-5. The new two-lane ramp will provide a free right for westbound drivers turning onto southbound I-5, reducing back-ups and improving travel times. Crews could start work as early as March.

Recent population growth and commercial development in Smokey Point has led to increased congestion at the I-5 / SR 531 interchange, causing long back-ups on weekends and during peak commute hours. The new, wider bridge is already helping to reduce congestion for drivers traveling on SR 531 over I-5, but improvements to the I-5 ramps will also reduce back-ups for drivers traveling to or from the freeway.

This $30.5 million project, funded primarily from the 2005 gas tax package, is scheduled for completion in late 2010. For more information on the project, visit the project Web site at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr531/i5loopramp/

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