Wire theft knocks out more lighting along I-5 in Lakewood
Oct 22, 2026, 10:40 AM | Updated: 3:05 pm
A photo of the ends of several copper wires. (Photo: africaimages via Envato)
(Photo: africaimages via Envato)
Here we go again.
Thieves who ripped wire from Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) electrical boxes impacted drivers in Lakewood earlier this week.
KIRO Newsradio listener Jeff reached out to me this week via email:
“Why are there several light poles not working west on SR 512 at the merger entrance (cloverleaf ramp) to get on I-5 South? The area is dark with light existing poles,” he wrote.
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WSDOT repairs most lights within a day, but work continues
I reached out to WSDOT, and it confirmed that at least 12 overhead lights were knocked out after thieves ripped the wires powering them.
Most of them were repaired in about a day, but repairs in the area continue. WSDOT does not have a cost estimate for the damage or the repairs.
WSDOT estimates that it spends $1 million every two years on repairs from wire theft. In many cases, WSDOT does not have the money to make repairs after some damage.
Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.
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