Date:  Thursday, February 24, 2011

Contact:
Lisa Copeland, WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2789
Bryan Dias, WSDOT Materials Engineer, 360-704-3213

TUMWATER – Crews began work this week to make sure price rollbacks don’t lead to traffic backups when a new Walmart opens in Tumwater this summer.

Contractor ESI Corporation will widen the southbound I-5 on- and off-ramps, adding another dedicated left-turn lane and creating a dedicated through-lane at Trosper Road – the primary exit to the store site on Little Rock Road.

This week’s grading work won’t impact traffic, but drivers should be prepared for nighttime lane closures in March when widening work gets under way on the ramps. Drivers can expect lane closures on I-5 and the ramps from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights through June.

“This interchange serves a number of core businesses here in Tumwater,” said Bryan Dias, WSDOT Olympic Region materials engineer. “Limiting traffic impacts to evenings and early mornings will help maintain access to and from the businesses.”

The interchange improvements are part of an agreement between Walmart Stores, Inc., and the state to accommodate the higher traffic volumes that are expected to accompany the new store. In addition to wider ramps, crews will install more street lights, build a detention pond and replace three traffic signals.

Construction is fully funded by the Walmart Stores, Inc. For information about the new store, please contact Dave Reich at 208-921-3677. For information about traffic impacts, please visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Olympic/Construction/.

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WSDOT keeps 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 http://wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/ or by dialing 5-1-1.

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