Date:  Thursday, February 05, 2009

Contact: Dustin Terpening, WSDOT Communications, 360-757-5997 (Burlington)
Janice Marlega, Project Engineer, 360-757-5856 (Burlington)

BURLINGTON – Crews will close northbound I-5 in Burlington overnight next week to set four new bridge support beams over the interstate. The steel-reinforced concrete girders will support the roadway for the rebuilt SR 11/Chuckanut Drive overpass.

Crews will close one lane of northbound I-5 at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. The second northbound lane will close at 11 p.m. and will remain closed until 5 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11. One lane will reopen at 5 a.m., and the second lane will reopen at 7 a.m.

Northbound I-5 will be closed from the SR 20 interchange (milepost 230) to the Chuckanut Drive interchange (milepost 231). Drivers can follow a signed detour route around the closure via SR 20 and Burlington Boulevard.

Crews will station a large crane on the interstate and lift the 62-foot long, 20-ton girders into place.

The new girders are stronger and wider than the originals, reducing the number needed from six to four. The new girders will also increase the height clearance over northbound I-5 by 6 inches, to 15 feet 9 inches.

The eastern portion of the Chuckanut Drive overpass was severely damaged by an over-height truck in July 2008. Crews demolished the span over northbound I-5 on Jan. 27 and are rebuilding it. The overpass will remain closed for two months during construction.

Pictures and videos of the demolition are available on our Flickr picture account - www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157613079963114/.  

For more project specifics, visit the Web page – www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/SR11ChuckanutBridgeRepair/.  

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