Date:  Wednesday, July 22, 2009

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

Switch marks first major milestone of interchange improvement project

ARLINGTON – Crews will open a new I-5 off-ramp at the I-5/State Route 531 interchange in Arlington this week, after only four months of construction. Opening the new ramp marks the first major milestone in a project to reduce congestion and improve safety at the interchange.

The new southbound I-5 off-ramp will open to drivers at 5 a.m. on Thursday, July 23. The ramp, located to the west of the existing I-5 off-ramp, is one of four that will be constructed or improved at the busy I-5/SR 531 interchange. More than 40,000 vehicles use this interchange daily.

“We’re pleased to be opening this new off-ramp ahead of schedule,” said Project Engineer Amir Ahmadi. “This means that our crews can finish construction of the next ramp on time or even earlier than we expected. Now drivers may get to use a new loop ramp from SR 531 to I-5 as early Labor Day.”

Crews began laying the foundation for a new on-ramp that will loop traffic from westbound SR 531 to southbound I-5 earlier this summer. The ramp’s circular shape has a wide footprint that did not align with the configuration of the existing southbound I-5 off-ramp. Relocating the southbound I-5 off-ramp to the west allows room to finish construction of the new loop ramp.

In light of crews’ rapid progress during the past few months, Ahmadi said that the project could wrap up early. Engineers originally planned to complete construction in late 2010, but now expect to finish by next summer.

When the project is complete, drivers will benefit from a new two-lane ramp from westbound SR 531 to southbound I-5, wider on- and off-ramps to and from northbound and southbound I-5, and new right-turn lanes from eastbound SR 531 to I-5. These improvements will reduce back-ups and improve travel times at the I-5 / SR 531 interchange.

The legislature allocated $33.4 million for this project, primarily from the 2005 gas tax. For more information visit the project Web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr531/i5loopramp/.

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