Date:
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Contact:
WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4788 (Seattle)
WSDOT Public Hotline, 206-440-4704 (Seattle)
Spokane Street on-ramp reopens for daytime traffic tomorrow morning
SEATTLE – Crews continue to make progress replacing expansion joints and repaving northbound Interstate 5 in Seattle over the weekend. But, with the start of a new work week just hours away, WSDOT worries complacent drivers will take to the road.
With only two lanes open to traffic for the duration of the project, drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, ride the bus or train, carpool, vanpool, work from home, postpone or alter trips and shift their schedules. Additionally, city streets through the construction zone have proven to be excellent alternate routes for drivers, transit and freight haulers.
“Complacency is our biggest worry,” said Assistant Regional Administrator Dave McCormick. “We’re worried light backups though the work zone over the weekend may inspire drivers to get back on the road. We could see some large backups and hour long waits if drivers don’t plan ahead, take alternate routes or mass transit.”
Spokane Street reopens for daytime traffic
The Spokane Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 will reopen at 5 a.m., just in time for the morning commute. However, crews will close the Spokane Street on-ramp Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Construction
Despite the early afternoon rain showers, crews continued to make progress paving and replacing expansion joints on northbound Interstate 5 in Seattle.
Rain usually postpones most paving projects, but advance planning by WSDOT engineers made sure that wet weather would not affect the project schedule. At 2 p.m. this afternoon, crews used a giant 20 foot-long blow dryer powered by a jet engine to dry the roadway and allow crews to continue paving.
“This project has a very tight schedule and affects a lot of drivers,” said McCormick. “We couldn’t afford to let a little rain delay this project. Without the blower we would have lost a day’s worth of work.”
Traffic
With numerous events taking place, including a Mariners game and Hempfest, drivers only saw 1 to 2 mile backups through the work zone. Travel times through work zone averaged 20 to 25 minutes and traffic speeds averaged 15 mph.
Drivers can plan their route at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/SpokaneStreetBridgeRepair/AlternateRoutes.htm.
For project details, resources available to get drivers through these closures, and suggestions for alternate routes, please visit the project Web site at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/SpokaneStreetBridgeRepair/
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