TACOMA - The three following scheduled road closures will affect eastbound traffic on State Route 16 over the next month. All work associated with these closures is part of the ongoing Tacoma Narrows Bridge project. Westbound traffic will not be affected.
1. July 5 - Eastbound SR 16 Exit to Jackson Avenue to Close
At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5, crews working for design-builder Tacoma Narrows Constructors (TNC) will close the SR 16 eastbound exit to Jackson Avenue in Tacoma. The ramp will remain closed around the clock for an estimated 30 days, and exiting motorists will be detoured to the Pearl Street exit.
During the closure, TNC’s crews will demolish the existing eastbound SR 16 exit and build a new ramp to match the new bridge’s permanent eastbound alignment and lanes. Since the north bridge sidewalk is closed to bicyclists each weekday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for unrelated maintenance work, TNC will maintain a path for bicyclists through the ramp construction zone and onto the south sidewalk.
2. July 6 - Mainline Eastbound SR 16 To be Rerouted Through Toll Plaza at Night
The next closure will occur on the west side of the bridge and will affect mainline eastbound SR 16 traffic. Between 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 6, and 5 a.m. on Friday, July 7, eastbound SR 16 will be reduced to one lane approaching 36th Street NW. That one lane of traffic will then be rerouted through the far right tollbooth lane in the toll plaza. An advisory speed reduction of 15 miles per hour will be posted at the toll plaza area. Motorists are advised to expect delays and to postpone discretionary trips on eastbound SR 16 during that time.
This redirection of eastbound traffic is necessary so TransCore, the company hired by WSDOT to manage and operate the toll facility, can conduct tests on the eastbound "express lane" electronic toll collection equipment located on the toll gantries. Although mainline traffic will be detoured away from the express lanes, motorists will see cars using the express lanes as part of the test. Motorists will also see the gantry equipment lit for the first time during the testing process. Future tests on the gantry equipment will require similar detours in the future.
3. Week of July 16 - Eastbound and Westbound Single Closures Across Bridge
During the week of July 16, TNC’s crews will close the middle two lanes (one eastbound and one westbound) of SR 16 across the existing bridge. These closures are scheduled to occur Sunday through Thursday nights, July 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20. The inside eastbound lane will close at 7 p.m. and reopen by 5 a.m. each day; the inside westbound lane will close at 9 p.m. and reopen by 7 a.m. each day.
During the closures, TNC’s crews will remove temporary falsework on the Tacoma tower’s strut over the roadway. The falsework allowed TNC to continue seismic retrofit work on the existing bridge without affecting traffic moving in the lanes below.
Motorists can expect intermittent 30-minute delays while the strut enclosures are removed.
For more information on the new bridge, visit www.tacomanarrowsbridge.com.