Date:  Monday, September 13, 2010

Contact: Chris Tams, WSDOT Project Engineer, (360) 759-1310 (Vancouver)
Abbi Russell, WSDOT Communications, (360) 905-2058 (Vancouver)

Watch for daytime and nighttime lane and ramp closures

RIDGEFIELD – Drivers on Interstate 5 and State Route 501 face daytime and nighttime construction delays this week as crews make strides on a project that will improve traffic flow for drivers.

Multiple lanes and ramps will be closed for bridge work and final paving as part of the I-5, SR 501 Ridgefield Interchange project, which constructs a new interchange to improve safety and mobility for 11,000 drivers that use it daily.

Drivers may encounter construction congestion on I-5 evenings and nights. Daytime delays of up to 20 minutes are expected on SR 501. Work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.

Scheduled closures in the vicinity of the interchange include:

I-5 lanes 
    •    Monday, Sept. 13 - Friday, Sept. 17: Up to two lanes will close nightly from 6 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. in both directions of I-5. 
    •    Wednesday, Sept. 15 - Friday, Sept. 17: The right lane on northbound I-5 will close from noon Wednesday to noon Friday. 
    •    Friday, Sept. 17 - Sunday, Sept. 19: The right lane on southbound I-5 will close noon Friday to noon Sunday.

I-5 ramps 
    •    Wednesday, Sept. 15 and Thursday, Sept. 16: The northbound I-5 on- and off-ramps for SR 501 will fully close each night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. 
    •    Friday, Sept. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 18: The southbound I-5 on- and off-ramps for SR 501 will fully close each night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

SR 501 
    •    Tuesday, Sept. 14: Drivers face intermittent daytime delays of up to 20 minutes on SR 501 while crews conduct traffic control from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Alternate routes
During ramp closures, drivers can take La Center Road (Exit 16) and SR 502 (Exit 11).

This week’s work wraps up most of the paving for the new I-5/SR 501 interchange. Later this month, crews will demolish the old SR 501 overpass above I-5 and plan to completely close one direction of the interstate at a time. Interstate traffic will continue to flow by detouring over the on- and off-ramps at the new SR 501 interchange.

The I-5, SR 501 Ridgefield Interchange Project improves safety and mobility on state and local roads by building a wider bridge to take SR 501 over I-5 and improving the I-5 on-ramps. Construction on the $28 million stimulus-funded project began in August 2009.

For more information, please visit the project Web page at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/I5/SR501Interchange.

Washington State is administering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Gov. Chris Gregoire created a website, www.recovery.wa.gov, so every Washingtonian can see where their tax dollars are going and hold government accountable for the results.

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WSDOT's mission is to keep people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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