Date:  Monday, May 17, 2010

Contact:
Neal Uhlmeyer, Project Engineer, 360-412-3420
WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789 or 360-507-1854

LAKEWOOD – WSDOT thanks motorists for avoiding southbound I-5 during extensive southbound lane closures in Lakewood last weekend. A third fewer motorists traveled that section of southbound I-5, which helped WSDOT and its contractor, Penhall Company complete planned weekend concrete panel replacement work ahead of schedule and with minimal backups.

“We really appreciate the public’s support. We were expecting significant backups because of our work near Bridgeport Way on Saturday, but it never materialized. The drivers who listened to our warnings and avoided the area are certainly the ones to thank for that,” said Kevin Dayton, Region Administrator. “We estimate there was between a 30 and 35 percent reduction in southbound I-5 traffic volumes just south of Lakewood. We were planning for 10- to 15-mile backups and the worst we saw was about two-miles – it was huge success. Even so, we’ve still got a long road ahead.”

On Saturday, WSDOT monitored traffic volumes on southbound I-5 as well as surrounding Pierce County highways, roadways in Kitsap County, the Olympic Peninsula and ridership on the Seattle to Bremerton Ferry run. Other than a few local roadways in Lakewood, there was no rise in traffic volumes anywhere else which indicate that motorists stayed home or changed their travel plans.

WSDOT hopes motorists will heed warnings to avoid I-5 northbound just south of Bridgeport Way in Lakewood the weekend of June 4 when crews again close lanes continuously Friday through Sunday Backups could reach 10 miles to the Thurston County line if drivers don’t delay or cancel their trips during the closures.

This weekend, May 21 – 23, motorists should plan ahead for the first weekend triple-lane closure to occur in the northbound direction of I-5 in Pierce County from Gravelly Lake Drive in Lakewood to 48th Street in Tacoma. Work hours for this upcoming weekend are:

• 7 p.m. Friday, May 21 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 22
• 7 p.m. Saturday, May 22 to noon Sunday, May 23

Typical overnight closures also continue this week on I-5 with northbound and southbound closures occurring overnight from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, May 17 through Thursday, May 20 in Lacey, Lakewood and Tacoma.

This work is part of an $8.4 million Recovery Act funded project on I-5 from Martin Way in Lacey to 48th Street in Tacoma that started in March. So far, 80 percent of the 295 broken panels have been replaced and 28 percent of the 56,700 dowel bars have been installed as WSDOT rehabilitates 25.5 miles of aging concrete roadway on I-5 in Thurston and Pierce counties, strengthening the roadway and creating a smoother driving surface.

Drivers can know before they go by checking the flow maps and traffic cams found at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/tacoma, calling 5-1-1.
This week’s entire current work schedule can be found on the region’s weekly impact report at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Olympic/Construction/#pierceor drivers can stay informed about this project by visiting http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/construction/2010/tacoma.htm.

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