Public invited to weigh in on the future of I-5 through the Nisqually Valley

Online open house will run throughout the month of June

LACEY – Community members have an opportunity to provide feedback on a report that will help shape the future of Interstate 5 through the Nisqually Valley.

After a series of meetings with partners, including a wide range of local, state and federal agencies and the Nisqually and Squaxin Island Tribes, and soliciting feedback from the public, the Washington State Department of Transportation has completed its draft report on proposed improvements to I-5 between the Marvin Road and Mounts Road interchanges. This information is available in an online open house.

The open house provides specifics about the preferred alternative recommended for further study. The preferred alternative includes proposals to reduce the environmental footprint of I-5 in the Nisqually delta while increasing capacity.

The proposal calls for new elevated portions of the highway and a new HOV lane in each direction. Another element is a proposed shared use path for pedestrians and bicyclists along southbound I-5.

The online open house begins Thursday, June 1 and closes June 30. Once the report is complete, WSDOT will move on to a National Environmental Policy Act review. While WSDOT continues to gather information for a potential future project, there is no timeline for design or construction.

I-5 Marvin Road to Mounts Road online open house

When: June 1-30, 2023

Where: https://engage.wsdot.wa.gov/i-5-marvin-to-mounts-pel

Details: This online open house outlines the process WSDOT and its partners went through, the full report, the preferred alternative and next steps.

Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout the state. To find the nearest Drive-In WiFi Hotspot visit: www.commerce.wa.gov/building-infrastructure/washington-state-drive-in-wifi-hotspots-location-finder/

Free WiFi access is available at these locations for people who wish to participate in the online open house/meeting:

  • Hawks Prairie Timberland Library: 8205 Martin Way, Suite B, Lacey.
  • Lacey Timberland Library: 500 College Street SE, Lacey.
  • DuPont Pierce County Library: 1540 Wilmington Drive, DuPont.

166,800 electric vehicle

registrations in Washington in 2023, up from 114,600 in 2022.

87 wetland compensation sites

actively monitored on 918 acres in 2023.

25,000 safe animal crossings

in the Snoqualmie Pass East Project area since 2014.