For the Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Wet weather may have offered a temporary reprieve, but drivers should get ready for traffic delays as the first of five weekend-long lane reductions on southbound Interstate 5 in SeaTac, Des Moines and Tukwila start this week.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Drivers can expect traffic delays starting at 8 p.m. Friday, July 15, in the SeaTac and Des Moines area.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n And that’s just part of the summer construction in the Puget Sound area’s south end. Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation are also getting set to install a new culvert under State Route 167 in Pacific.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n To complete this work, contractor crews must close southbound SR 167 through Pacific for one weekend in late August.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n “Both southbound I-5 in Tukwila and southbound SR 167 in Pacific will have restrictions the weekend of Aug. 19-21,” said WSDOT Traffic Engineer Mike Swires. “But, these projects are spaced far apart, and there are many available detours. Still, drivers will need to give themselves additional travel time to reach their destination.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The two projects are about 18 miles apart. Drivers going south will have several alternative routes to choose from depending on their starting point and destination.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n To help drivers create a game plan, WSDOT has published a new #SouthKingSlowdown webpage<\/a> with detailed information on where lanes will be closed and how to travel around construction.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n This weekend: #SouthKingSlowdown on southbound I-5<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n From 8 p.m. Friday, July 15 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 18, contractor crews plan to reduce southbound I-5 to two lanes between South 188th and South 219th streets to complete concrete panel replacement and crack and seat pavement work. This work is weather-dependent.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n WSDOT needs help from drivers to keep traffic moving<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u2022 Drivers should plan ahead for construction and create a travel strategy:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u2022 Allow extra time to travel through the work zones or on alternate routes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u2022 Ride transit, carpool or use other forms of transportation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u2022 Travel early in the morning before 9 a.m. or later in the evening after 9 p.m., or reschedule discretionary trips.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00aa Check the Seattle Traffic page<\/a> for updated traffic conditions.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n