Date:  Thursday, February 26, 2009

Contact: Contacts: Kris Olsen, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4475

SEATTLE – Round-the-clock Interstate 5 weekend closures are over for south Seattle. Contractor crews replacing 440 broken and cracked panels on I-5 between South Boeing Field and the Snohomish County line are moving to north Seattle for the next two weekends.

“This is some of our roughest road,” said Aleta Borschowa, WSDOT project engineer. “Anyone who drives this section of I-5 can feel the teeth-chattering bumps.” Crews will cut, remove and replace 26 concrete panels this weekend between 145th and 103rd Streets.

Interstate 5 is more than 40 years old and is wearing out faster than crews can repair it. This $21 million project replaces the worst 440 of 16,000 concrete panels and grinds down and evens out the deepest ruts in the freeway. This project also provides work for 80 union, family-wage-earning jobs. www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/seattlepavementrepair

Weekend closures

On southbound I-5 crews will:

• Close two lanes of southbound I-5 between 145th Street and Northgate from Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. through Monday, March 2 at 5 a.m.
• Close three of four lanes Friday and Saturday nights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Run the I-5 express lanes in the northbound direction all weekend because the work zone is north of the express lanes entrance. The express lanes will provide no benefit to southbound drivers this weekend.

When the weekend work is over, crews will have replaced 116 panels.

Workers will also wrap up grinding work in downtown and south Seattle at night this weekend.

Crews will: 

• Close two of four lanes of northbound I-5 between Michigan Street and South Spokane Street Friday, Feb. 27 from 8 p.m. through Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m.
• Close the same lanes in the same area Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Other closures that may affect drivers

WSDOT contractor crews will also close two lanes on northbound I-405 between Coal Creek Parkway and I-90 on Friday and Saturday nights. Those closures last until 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday morning. Drivers may see a little congestion on northbound I-5 and I-405 between 9:30 and 10 a.m. both weekend days as traffic picks up for the weekend.

What should drivers do?

Seattle drivers have helped limit traffic problems. They are paying attention to the closures and changing their driving patterns based on the closures. During our first weekend of closures, nearly 60 percent of drivers avoided the work zone. The second week of closures saw a 30 percent rate.

This weekend drivers should:

• Take alternate north-south routes like SR 99 and I-405.
• Plan for 30-minute delays.
• Check the Web for the latest information before they leave, www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009.
• Use the overhead freeway signs and the 511 driver information line to get up-to-the minute information on the road.

Drivers headed south to Northgate Mall should use 5th Ave NE and 15th Ave NE.

Drivers headed to Northwest Hospital should use SR 99, 1st Ave NE or Meridian.

Project progress

While this work is scheduled to last through September, our contractor crews are making great progress and it appears they could be done by early summer. You’ll want to stay on top of the work by tracking our progress: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/SeattlePavementRepair/Progress.htm 
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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/ or by dialing 5-1-1.

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