MARYSVILLE – An improved interchange in Marysville and another lane for travelers on northbound Interstate 5 between Everett and Marysville is one step closer to reality with the selection of a project contractor.
Guy F. Atkinson Construction, LLC will tackle the project after the Washington State Department of Transportation selected the firm during a competitive process that required qualified contractors to submit comprehensive proposals.
The interchange improvements and high occupancy vehicle lane will be built using a design-build contract. Using this type of contract, WSDOT executes one contract with a single firm that is responsible for finishing design work and then building the project.
“Atkinson Construction submitted the best value proposal for an improved interchange and extending the northbound HOV lane,” said Amir Rasaie, WSDOT assistant regional administrator for project design and development. “We look forward to working with them to build this project.”
“This work will improve mobility for highway users, ease congestion and provide more access to and from Marysville,” said Atkinson Senior Project Manager Reggie Wageman. “We intend to build a project that meets the needs of the community, minimizes effects on travelers and looks for efficiencies in design and construction to provide the best value for taxpayers.”
Interchange and corridor improvements
The improvements include:
- A northbound ramp from I-5 to State Route 529.
- A ramp from SR 529 to southbound I-5.
- Extending the existing northbound HOV lane from its existing end near US 2 in Everett to south of SR 529 in Marysville.
Nearly 65,000 vehicles travel northbound on this section of I-5 each day. Drivers frequently experience long commute times. Data shows that almost 25 percent of the vehicles traveling northbound are eligible to use an HOV lane. To extend the HOV lane, the existing three general purpose lanes will be shifted to the right slightly and restriped, to create a total of four northbound lanes.
Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2022 with the improved interchange and HOV lane scheduled to open in 2025.
The $123.1 million project received funding through the 2015 Connecting Washington transportation package, a $16 billion investment in highway infrastructure.