Expect occasional closures as SB ‘Revive I-5’ in Seattle starts this week
May 23, 2021, 7:50 AM
Old, rutted pavement on southbound I-5. (Photo courtesy of WSDOT/Flickr)
(Photo courtesy of WSDOT/Flickr)
The work to replace 40 expansion joints and resurface 1.25 miles of southbound I-5 between I-90 and Spokane Street kicks off Monday, May 24, as part of the “Revive I-5” project.
WSDOT to tackle I-5 where expansion joints failed
The Washington State Department of Transportation expects this preservation work will continue through fall 2022.
On Monday, contractor crews working for WSDOT will start a two-phase project to rehabilitate the freeway through downtown Seattle. This is similar to the work done on northbound I-5 in 2019 for drivers who may remember, but it’s the first major work on this section in more than 55 years.
“Interstate 5 is vitally important to our local economy,” said WSDOT Project Engineer James Harper. “The freeway has held up well since it was opened in the mid-1960s, but some recent emergency expansion joint repairs are a sure sign this work is needed now. Repaving and repairing expansion joints will keep it in good condition.”
State finally widening northbound I-5 through downtown Seattle
Drivers are told to plan ahead and expect weeknight lane and ramp closures between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. along southbound I-5 until mid-July. Weekend-long lane reductions could start in June, but closure dates have not yet been announced. WSDOT does promise the closures won’t be on holiday weekends or weekends when there are major events in the stadium district or in downtown Seattle.
The first phase of the $25.7 million project will be removing a thin layer of worn out concrete and then repaving. Once that is complete, crews will replace the 40 expansion joints between I-90 and Spokane Street and one more on I-90 over I-5, expected to start in mid-July.
