Southbound I-5 shut down after power lines fall onto highway near JBLM
Dec 17, 2025, 7:03 AM | Updated: 7:10 am
A Washington State Patrol (WSP) vehicle en route to a incident. (Photo courtesy of WSP)
(Photo courtesy of WSP)
I-5 was forced to close for approximately one hour in both directions early Wednesday after downed high-voltage powerlines fell onto the road near Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).
The downed power lines were near milepost 116.
Both directions of I-5 in the Mounts Road area are closed due to a downed high voltage power line. @PSETalk has been called into respond. Please delay your travels until further notice. pic.twitter.com/xYEzueCM96
— WSDOT Tacoma (@wsdot_tacoma) December 17, 2025
Northbound traffic was pushed through by using the shoulder. Southbound I-5 remains closed, as of this reporting, with traffic being diverted to Mounts Road. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is actively working to remove the downed power lines safely.
🚨I-5 at Mounts Rd. (MP 116) is blocked in BOTH directions due to live power lines at rest in the roadway.
All traffic is being diverted to Mounts Rd. And we do not have an ETA on when this will be fixed.
Please avoid the area.
More updates to follow.
— Trooper Kameron Watts (@wspd1pio) December 17, 2025
According to KIRO 7, all power supply along I-5 from Carpenter Road in Lacey to Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest in Lakewood was impacted.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
