Date:  Monday, March 02, 2009

Contact: Contact: Patty Michaud, WSDOT Communications, 206.440.4788 (Seattle)

SEATTLE – WSDOT contractor crews reopened all lanes of southbound I-5 in north Seattle at 4:15 a.m. today after replacing 18 full concrete panels and four half-panels this weekend. Crews have now replaced over 112 broken concrete panels on I-5 between Seattle and Shoreline, staying on track to replace all 440 panels over 11 more weekends of around-the-clock work.

This $21 million project is funded by the 2003 gas tax. This project puts 80 Washington union workers to work and indirectly employs workers at more than 31 companies nationwide, including 19 in Washington state.

Traffic
Traffic on southbound I-5 in north Seattle was heaviest on Saturday afternoon, with backups extending past the King/Snohomish county line and delays ranging from 45 minutes to just under an hour. Traffic through the construction zone was lighter on Sunday, with delays averaging 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day.

What's next?
This week crews will complete sawcutting work on northbound I-5 in south Seattle, reducing traffic to two open lanes from just south of Spokane Street to just north of I-90 Monday through Wednesday nights from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

On Wednesday and Thursday nights crews will return to southbound I-5 in north Seattle for sawcutting work, reducing traffic to two open lanes from NE 130th Street to Northgate Way from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Crews will continue around-the-clock closures on southbound I-5 near Northgate in north Seattle next weekend, again reducing traffic to two lanes from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Visit the project Web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/seattlepavementrepair

Have questions?
Questions into our Ask WSDOT inbox are few and far between. If you have a question about this weekend’s work, please drop us a note at wsdotconstruction@wsdot.wa.gov

Follow the traffic and the progress

WSDOT has many ways you can stay on top of the traffic and the work on this project:

WSDOT's up-to-the minute Web-based traveler information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle/
Information about lane closures for planning purposes at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2009
Information sent to your phone via Twitter at http://twitter.com/wsdot The 511 traveler information phone line Overhead freeway signs Local television before you head out Local radio stations in your vehicle

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