Revive I-5 has lane reductions this weekend through Tukwila

Revive I-5 is making its way through Tukwila this weekend to repair and mend a stretch of Interstate 5 highway that has not had any major renovations in approximately 60 years.

Revive I-5, an umbrella of dozens of preservation projects for I-5 in King and Snohomish Counties, aims to smooth the surface by replacing concrete panels and expansion joints. The construction project will also grind down any ruts to preserve the lifespan for decades to come.

More on road closures: Nightly ramp closures to affect drivers in Kirkland, Shoreline, more

Most of this work occurs overnight on weekdays, but some work is scheduled on certain weekends — this weekend being one of them.

“We’re actually starting on our second weekend-long lane reduction coming this weekend,” Amy Moreno, communications consultant with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), told KIRO Newsradio. “That means we’re going down to two southbound lanes open for the weekend. This is a significant traffic situation that people are going to want to be aware of.”

Right now, it’s just a small section being worked on, between Boeing Access Road to the WA-900 and Martin Luther King Jr Way S. intersection.

“That off-ramp is closed, but the on-ramp is going to be open. That’s different than how it was two weeks ago when we had our first weekend-long lane reductions,” Moreno said. “This project gives us a chance to just try and improve the surface of the road.

“This whole section of I-5, we’ve gotten significant complaints from people who talk about how bumpy the roadway is,” Moreno continued. “Drive down and you can see that this part of I-5 needed a little TLC. So we’re getting out there, we’re doing some rehab work and, with the areas we’ve already worked on, you can see the difference. It’s a much smoother drive. A much better drive for people.”

Overall, the project has about 13-weekend closures in the project contract, according to WSDOT.

More from Nate Connors: SDOT filled 25,000 potholes in 2023, most in five years

“They’re going to be spread out between now and the fall,” Moreno added. “We’re planning to work the next couple of weekends and then there will be a short break. It’ll probably be off and on through the spring and summer.”

WSDOT advises drivers should consider alternate routes this weekend or plan on delays. This work is weather-dependent and could be postponed due to extreme conditions.

You can read more of Nate Connors’ stories here. Follow Nate on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and the KIRO Newsradio traffic team here for more traffic updates.

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