Changes ahead for northbound I-5 access to State Route 516 in Kent

Access to SR 516 will shift to one off-ramp at exit 149

KENT – A change is in store for northbound Interstate 5 travelers exiting to westbound State Route 516/Kent-Des Moines Road. At approximately 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, drivers will begin using a single off-ramp that exits to both eastbound and westbound SR 516.

For many years, the exits to each direction of SR 516 had separate off-ramps.  

Northbound I-5 to SR 516 ramp change information

  • The current exit to westbound SR 516 will permanently close at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8.
  • The existing ramp to eastbound SR 516 will close at 9:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8 and reopen at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, serving drivers headed to eastbound or westbound SR 516.
  • The remaining off-ramp exit will be renamed exit 149.

Temporary adjustments to roadway signs will alert travelers to the change and will be in place until new roadway signs are installed. The existing traffic signals at the off-ramp’s intersection with SR 516 will be adjusted to accommodate traffic changes.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is closing this off-ramp as part of a planned reconfiguration of the I-5/SR 516 interchange, which includes the extension of Veterans Drive under I-5 and additional roadway and multi-modal improvements as part of the SR 509 Completion Project.

About the SR 509 Completion Project

WSDOT’s $1.1 billion SR 509 Completion Project in King County extends the highway from where it currently ends at the southwest corner of Sea-Tac International Airport to I-5 and includes project features in Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac and Kent.

The SR 509 Completion Project is part of the Puget Sound Gateway Program, which was authorized by the Washington State Legislature in 2015. Funding comes from WSDOT’s Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington accounts, federal grants, local contributions and future toll revenues.

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