Date:
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Contact:
Neal Uhlmeyer, WSDOT project engineer, 360-412-3420
WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789
TACOMA – The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closes Portland Avenue in Tacoma between 27th and 28th streets this weekend, Oct. 1-4, to make way for future widening of I-5 overhead.
The full-weekend closure is part of the I-5 Portland Avenue to Port of Tacoma Road Northbound HOV Stage 1 project. The closure is necessary to allow WSDOT and its contractor, Scarsella Bros. Inc., to remove approximately 300 feet of existing Portland Avenue, lowering its profile, and then repave and restripe the roadway.
This preliminary work maintains the vertical clearance under I-5 once the overpass is widened. Once complete the project will help fill in missing pieces of the Tacoma/Pierce County HOV puzzle.
When the northbound and southbound lanes on I-5 in the project area are complete, carpool lanes will extend from Portland Avenue to Port of Tacoma Road.
Portland Avenue closes at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 1, and is scheduled to reopen by 4:30 a.m., the following Monday. During the closure a signed detour will direct motorists around the work. More than 22,000 motorists travel this section of Portland Avenue every weekday.
Although no mainline I-5 closures are occurring, the both off-ramps to Portland Avenue feed into 27th and 28th streets, which immediately intersect with Portland Avenue – making backups from the ramps onto I-5 possible.
Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, allow some extra time and use alternate routes or follow signed detours around the construction. Drivers should avoid the Portland Avenue off-ramps, and exit at I-705 or Port of Tacoma Road instead.
This work is weather-dependent. If unfavorable conditions occur, the work will take place the following weekend, Oct. 8-11.
For a detour map around the Portland Avenue closure and more information about this Nickel-funded, $30 million project, please visit the website, available at www.tacomatraffic.com.
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