Project overview
This project is paving roughly three miles of eastbound State Route 18 from C Street Southwest to Green River. Crews working for WSDOT will rehabilitate the existing roadway surface, deteriorated bridge decks and joints of the C Street Southwest bridge and five eastbound on and off-ramps. Once contractor crews finish repairing expansion joints and grinding and inlaying new HMA (Hot Mix Asphalt), the roadway surface will have a smoother ride that will be preserved for years to come.
What to expect
The project currently is suspended for the winter. Once the weather dries and warms, crews will complete paving work and add permanent striping throughout the project. People should expect nighttime single-lane closures of eastbound SR 18 to complete work.
This project will rehabilitate roughly three miles of eastbound State Route 18 from C Street southwest to Green River.
This part of SR 18 was built in 1958 and last paved 21 years ago in 2003. Pavement typically lasts for 15 years and this is well overdue for preservation work. Over the 20 years since last paved, the roadway’s travelers have increased by 33%, from 49,000 daily to 65,000. Preservation work must take place to keep the highway in a state of good repair as the number of travelers using SR 18 increases. Repaving and repairing our existing highways and bridges reduces the need for emergency repairs which can be costly to taxpayers and cause additional congestion if the work must be done during peak commute hours.
New pavement: The asphalt on this stretch of eastbound SR-18 has outlived its anticipated 15-year lifespan. Most of the pavement hasn’t been updated since 2003. Through the years, cracks, ruts, and potholes have developed. These make the roadway uneven, allowing water to pool and reducing tire traction. This causes drivers to slow down to handle the slick conditions, which increases travel times. Removing the old, worn-out asphalt and replacing it with new pavement will provide safer driving conditions and extend the life of the highway.
Bridge expansion joints: The SR-18 bridge over C Street Southwest was built in 1956. Both eastbound and westbound directions of the bridge will have expansion joints repaired. During westbound work, there will be lane restrictions, and during eastbound work, there will be full closures.
On and off-ramps: Five eastbound SR 18 on and off-ramps will be repaved: the on- and off-ramps for C Street Southwest, the on- and off-ramps for Auburn Way South and the off-ramp to Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road.
