Important travel notice: Temporary traffic shift along northbound I-5 at the North Fork Lewis River Bridge
Starting Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, and continuing around-the-clock, for the next two months, three lanes of travel will be reduced down to two narrow lanes approaching the northbound span of the North Fork Lewis River Bridge, located between mileposts 19.36 and 20.0, just south of Woodland, WA. For everyone's safety, the speed limit has been reduced leading up to and through the work zone. Expect significant delays, have patience and plan ahead!
Project overview
This project includes repairing the bridge deck, modifying expansion joints and installing new bridge joint seals on both northbound and southbound spans of I-5. Once complete, travelers will experience a smoother, safer driving surface and fewer unplanned, emergency lanes closures to repair bridge holes.
What to expect
Expect significant delays during peak travel times!
Once construction begins, bridge deck work will be performed by working on half of each bridge deck at a time. To create a safe work zone, temporary traffic barrier will be placed down the center of the bridge, and traffic will be reduced and shifted from three lanes down to two narrow lanes (10 feet and 10.5 feet wide) and narrow shoulders.
Additionally, the speed limit will be reduced from 70 mph down to 60 mph through the work zone and reduced again down to 45 mph along the bridge.
When work has been completed on half of the bridge, the temporary traffic barrier will be shifted slightly and travelers will begin using the remaining half of the bridge, and work will resume.
Traffic is anticipated to be in these two stages for up to two months. For some construction activities, the highway may be reduced down to a single lane at night.
Nighttime single and double lane closures will be needed to set-up the Smart Work Zone at the start of construction and for clean-up once deck work is complete.
Significant delays are expected during peak travel hours. Traffic data shows that Friday afternoons are the worst days to travel, with delays of up to 50 minutes or longer, and traffic backups extending beyond seven miles or more, along the interstate. To minimize delays, plan ahead and travel during non-peak hours!
Use the Travel Delay Charts located under the "Maps & Drawings" tab below, to help you make decisions on when travel!
Beginning in summer 2023, contractor crews will work to improve the bridge deck along the northbound I-5 North Fork Lewis River Bridge, and in summer 2024, contractor crews will work to improve the bridge deck along the southbound I-5 North Fork Lewis River Bridge - both bridges are located near the Clark and Cowlitz county boarders, just south of Woodland, WA.
