Date:  Friday, November 13, 2009

Contact: Meghan Pembroke, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4704 (Seattle)
Amir Ahmadi, WSDOT Project Engineer, 425-225-8700 (Everett)

SR 531 (172nd Street NE) overpass renamed in honor of Oliver “Punks” Smith

ARLINGTON – Elected officials and community members joined WSDOT staff and contractor crews today to celebrate the early opening of new and improved ramps at the I-5/SR 531 (172nd Street NE) interchange near Arlington. Crews completed the major milestones on the $23.5 million gas tax-funded project this summer, and drivers are already benefitting from improved traffic flow at the busy interchange.

“We’d like to give our WSDOT and contractor crews a lot of credit for working hard to wrap up this part of the project nearly six months ahead of schedule,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. ”The new ramp is a great example of how Moving Washington, WSDOT’s anti-congestion program, works. Not only are we managing the system better and offering commuters more choices, we also are adding capacity where it is needed, targeting bottlenecks and chokepoints like the one we saw here at SR 531.”

Crews opened a new on-ramp from westbound SR 531 to southbound I-5 in late August to help relieve lengthy backups on SR 531. More than 40,000 vehicles use SR 531 to access I-5 each day, and traffic is heaviest for drivers heading from westbound SR 531 to southbound I-5.

Before the new ramp opened, westbound drivers had to wait at a traffic signal and use the same on-ramp as eastbound drivers. The new two-lane ramp loops from westbound SR 531 to southbound I-5 and provides a free right for turning drivers. In addition to the new loop ramp, crews also widened and realigned four other on- and off-ramps at the interchange this summer to improve access to and from I-5.

Crews are on track to wrap up work on the project by next summer. When the project is complete, drivers and pedestrians will benefit from added turn lanes on SR 531 at 27th Avenue, new sidewalks on SR 531 and updated lighting, striping and guardrail throughout the project area. Crews are currently working on new noise walls along I-5 to the north of the interchange.


SR 531 overpass renamed in honor of Oliver “Punks” Smith
This morning community members also helped dedicate the SR 531/172nd Street NE overpass in honor of Oliver “Punks” Smith. Smith was a longtime Arlington city councilman and community activist who helped lead efforts to reduce congestion at the busy interchange.

Smith was a founder of the Transportation Relief Action Plan committee, a community-led group that helped secure funding for widening the SR 531 overpass. That project, which WSDOT completed in 2005, was the first phase of improvements at the interchange. Smith passed away in 2006.

In July 2008, the Washington State Transportation Commission approved a resolution to rename the SR 531 overpass in recognition of Smith’s service and leadership. Smith’s wife and family, as well as members of the TRAP committee, were on hand this morning to unveil the signs that will commemorate the new Oliver “Punks” Smith overpass.

For more information visit the project Web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr531/i5loopramp.  

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