WSDOT News

Date:  Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Contact: Victoria Tobin, Public Information, (425) 405.1785 (Everett)
Connie Lewis, Public Information, (425) 405.1796 (Everett)

EVERETT–Drivers will face late night and early morning freeway and city street delays for several nights this month and in September starting Monday night August 21 when crews expanding Interstate 5 through Everett detour traffic off of the freeway and completely close both directions of I-5 at night.

Crews will detour traffic and close the freeway a minimum of two nights in August and three in September as they carefully use two enormous cranes to swing 25, 82-ton concrete bridge girders across I-5, and set and secure them in place to form the beginnings of the new 41st Street bridge. Crews expect to set five, 156-foot-long and six-foot-tall, girders each night.

To keep drivers safe, crews must detour traffic off of the freeway and completely close both directions of I-5 each night. Drivers should plan for extra commute time if traveling through the construction area late evenings and early mornings. Neighbors living close to construction or detour routes may be bothered by night noise, lighting and detour traffic.

We need driver’s help. Complete I-5 closures are difficult and even with crews working off-peak hours, freeway backups can occur. We ask that drivers alter their late night and early morning commutes accordingly.

Where are the closures?

I-5 in Everett between Broadway Avenue and just north of 41st Street.

When are the closures?

Northbound I-5 and Southbound I-5 will be completely closed between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. the following morning on Mon., Aug. 21; Tues., Aug. 22, 2006; Wed., Aug. 23 (if needed); Tues., Sept. 5; Wed., Sept. 6; and Thurs., Sept. 7. Additional nights may be needed to complete work and will be announced later.
Crews will begin closing lanes at 7 p.m.

What are the detours?

• Northbound I-5 – northbound drivers will exit using the I-5 Broadway Avenue exit (exit #192), stay to the right at the bottom of the ramp and curve sharply to the right onto the old 3rd Ave./Lowell ramp leading to the current Cascade View Bridge detour. Drivers will enter the current 41st Street to northbound I-5 detour route, will need to get into the left lane, veer left and flow directly back onto northbound I-5 using the existing 41st Street entrance.

• Southbound I-5 – southbound I-5 drivers will exit at 41st Street exit (exit #192), move to the right lane and take the I-5 Southbound loop to Broadway Avenue. Drivers will go right at the bottom of this ramp, then cross Broadway Avenue to the left lane and continue onto southbound I-5 using the Broadway Avenue entrance to southbound I-5.

The new bridge girders, fabricated by Tacoma Washington’s Concrete Technologies, are part of a $260 million project to expand I-5 through Everett. When complete in June 2008, drivers will have an additional lane in both directions on I-5 between 41st and US 2, an expanded HOV lane between SR 526 and East Marine View Drive, new I-5/41st Street Interchange, and dozens of new safety, traffic flow and environmental improvements.

Crews recently opened the new right-hand Broadway Avenue exit to drivers and are working at modifying the closed left-hand exit before it is opened back up sometime next summer as an HOV-only northbound exit and southbound entrance.

Find more information about the I-5 Everett Freeway Expansion by visiting the project Web page at www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/hovsr526tous2/ or sign up for WSDOT Snohomish County project updates delivered right to your e-mail inbox by visiting www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/NorthWest/Snohomish/Snohomish_Listserve.htm

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