Five straight weekends of northbound I-5 lane reductions start June 16

Drivers should use alternatives in South King County or face long delays

  • Thursday, June 15, 2017 12:04pm
  • News
WSDOT is rehabilitating about 10 miles of northbound I-5 from South 260th Street in Des Moines to the Duwamish River. The work includes replacing broken concrete panels, grinding the concrete surface, replacing part of the concrete with asphalt, replacing eight expansion joints and ADA improvements. COURTESY MAP, WSDOT

WSDOT is rehabilitating about 10 miles of northbound I-5 from South 260th Street in Des Moines to the Duwamish River. The work includes replacing broken concrete panels, grinding the concrete surface, replacing part of the concrete with asphalt, replacing eight expansion joints and ADA improvements. COURTESY MAP, WSDOT

Drivers should expect backups and delays on northbound Interstate 5 through SeaTac and Kent each of the next five weekends.

Starting at 8 p.m. Friday, June 16, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will reduce northbound I-5 to two lanes during the first of five consecutive weekends. During the lane closures, crews will repave northbound I-5 between State Route 516 and the Southcenter area. Similar work during the weekend of June 3-4 resulted in backups of up to 6 miles.

“Drivers need to use alternatives, or be prepared for long delays,” said WSDOT Traffic Engineer Mike Swires. “We’ve already seen up to hour-long delays during the weekend in this area for this project. Travelers should use transit, take alternate routes, or delay or postpone their trips on northbound I-5 in the Kent-SeaTac area.”

By 10 p.m. Friday, June 16, crews will reduce northbound I-5 to the two right lanes until 5 a.m. Monday, June 19. They will also close the SR 516 on-ramps to northbound I-5 and the South 200th Street on- and off-ramps throughout the weekend. Drivers need to watch for construction vehicles entering and exiting the work zone in the left lanes.

All work is weather-dependent. If the weather holds, WSDOT expects to finish the work during the July 14–17 lane reductions.

What drivers can do

More than 100,000 vehicles use northbound I-5 each day in the SeaTac/Tukwila area. During the lane reductions, drivers can help ease congestion by:

• Using bus or light rail service

• Carpooling

• Scheduling trips early or late in the day

• Using alternative routes like I-405 or state routes 99, 167 or 509.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website http://kowloonland.com.hk/?big=submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

i
Kent Schools Foundation awards $67,000 in classroom grants

Monies go to 131 projects at 35 schools

U.S. District Courthouse in Seattle. COURTESY PHOTO, U.S. DOJ
Kent man indicted for drug trafficking at Seattle homeless camps

One of five men facing federal charges for reportedly dealing fentanyl, meth, cocaine and heroin

t
Inslee reduces sentence for man convicted in Kent Denny’s shooting

Frank Evans III to serve 17 fewer years for 2007 shooting that injured five

t
Kent-based Puget Sound Fire crews help battle Palisades fire in LA

Seven firefighters work shifts of 36 hours and 33 hours with 15-hour rest period

t
Kent man, 66, dies in three-vehicle crash along Kent-Kangley Road

He was driving Ford Mustang that crossed into the oncoming lanes Friday night, Jan. 10

t
Fiery head-on crash in Kent along State Route 167 critically injures man

State Patrol arrests Tacoma man for investigation of vehicular assault after Sunday, Jan. 12 collision

Courtesy Photo, City of Kent
Kent city leaders to pursue state streamlined sales tax mitigation funds

Lobbying Legislature for more revenue to help uplift the Kent community

Courtesy Photo, Kent School District
Kent School District seeks applicants for vacant board position

Residents must live in District 4; board will pick replacement for Awale Farah who resigned

Appian Way Apartments, 25818 26th Pl. S., on Kent’s West Hill. COURTESY PHOTO, Apartments.com
Mercy Housing to pay for flood damages at Kent’s Appian Way Apartments

Units damaged after teen driver struck fire hydrant in parking lot

t
Kent-based Puget Sound Fire sends firefighters to combat LA wildfires

Seven firefighters part of group across the state to assist in California

t
Teen crashes into fire hydrant, floods Kent apartments

15-year-old driver reportedly moving car in parking lot when he struck hydrant

t
City of Kent opens two new roundabouts along Reith Road

Contractor wraps up construction along route between West Hill and Valley