Spring 2007 Issue - Seattle Report
Georgetown
Posted: October 1, 2008
Start Planning now for Major I-5 Rehab in August 2007
Georgetown, SODO, the Rainier Valley, and Beacon Hill will be high-impact areas when several northbound lanes of Interstate 5 will be closed for major repair work August 10 to 19. The Washington State Department of Transportation is offering this advice to drivers, businesses, and communities: Start planning now.
The closures will enable work crews to compete major repairs to I-5 between Spokane Street and the I-90 interchange. This construction will significantly affect traffic near downtown Seattle, particularly during 19 continuous days of intense construction in August, when crews must close several northbound lanes at all times, including workdays, leaving only two or three lanes open to traffic.
The northbound I-5 lane closures will push traffic onto other routes, including city streets in Georgetown, SODO, Rainier Valley, and Beacon Hill. WSDOT anticipates I-405 and State Route 99 will be popular freeway alternatives. Trucks will be encouraged to use I-405, East Marginal Way South, and Airport Way South. Lengthy backups and significant delays are expected.
I-5 south of downtown Seattle is an elevated bridge that was built more than 40 years ago. The worn freeway surface exposes steel rebar in some areas. Drivers hydroplane when rain collects in deep ruts in the roadway. Most importantly, the expansion joints connecting the concrete slabs that make up the freeway are failing and potentially pose a serious risk to drivers. Collisions and major traffic backups are a growing risk as the top steel plates of these joints detach more and more frequently.
“We’ve been patching together repairs on this stretch of freeway for years to keep it safe,” said Archie Allen, WSDOT Bridge Maintenance Superintendent. “I dread the day when one of the expansion joints fails during rush-hour traffic. Short-term fixes aren’t enough anymore.”
Ongoing minor repairs to the bridge require constant maintenance. These repairs are costly, disruptive, and put both drivers and repair crews in jeopardy.
WSDOT crews will implement a long-term solution this summer by replacing the expansion joints on the northbound lanes of the bridge and resurfacing this section of I-5. This intensive work mandates 19 long, labor-intensive days of lane closures, currently scheduled between Friday, August 10, and Wednesday, August 29. The closure allows crews to complete the job as efficiently and safely as possible with the least effect on drivers and businesses.
“We examined dozens of ways to complete this construction work while keeping traffic moving,” said Bruce Nebbitt, WSDOT Project Engineer. “The 19-day August closure will allow us to get in, get the work done, and get out of drivers’ way as quickly and safely as possible.”
Drivers who rely on I-5 and alternate routes should start considering their options now. WSDOT is starting outreach to encourage drivers to:
• Take a vacation during the August 10–29 construction
• Carpool, vanpool, take the bus or train
• Work from home
• Adjust work schedules to avoid busiest times
• Avoid the area or use alternate routes where possible
• Delay or reschedule discretionary trips
Crews will need to close northbound lanes and ramps for several nights and weekends before and after the 19-day window of intense 24-hour construction, but this work is expected to have far less effect on traffic in the area.
Work crews will also repair expansion joints on the southbound lanes of the bridge. WSDOT will conduct this work before and after construction on the northbound lanes and primarily at night in order to minimize disruptions to drivers.
WSDOT is working closely with the Georgetown Merchants Association, the Duwamish Transportation Management Association, the City of Seattle, transit authorities, employer groups, and numerous other organizations in the planning process for this project.
For more information about the project, including information about upcoming community presentations, visit WSDOT’s Web site at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/I5/SpokaneStreetBridgeRepair.
