Date:  Friday, March 18, 2011

Contact:
Lisa Copeland, Region Communications Manager, 360-357-2789
Jon Deffenbacher, Project Engineer, 253-589-6100

LAKEWOOD – Drivers might feel a twinge of déjà vu next month when orange cones, construction crews and lane closures reappear on Interstate 5 (I-5) in Pierce County.

Crews return to Lakewood in April to repave the Clover Creek Bridge. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) awarded the $650,000 project to C.A. Carey Corp. earlier this year.

Last summer, lane closures and backups were the norm between Martin Way in Thurston County and 48th Street in Pierce County as crews repaired 25 miles of roadway.

“This year we’re focusing on the bridge, and it will take less time to complete, when compared to last summer’s work,” said Kevin Dayton, region administrator. “The good news is we are able to complete the work in just four weekends.”

Overlaying the bridge’s deck and replacing approach slabs requires two extended weekend closures (up to three lanes closed Friday night through Monday morning), and two weekends of Friday and Saturday night lane closures.

“We’ll really need drivers’ help on weekends,” said Dayton. “We’ll be asking people to avoid the area; otherwise we could see extremely long backups.”

Traffic backups could reach five miles or more depending on traffic volumes and the number of lanes closed. The work is also weather-dependent, which makes pinpointing the affected weekends difficult. A tentative schedule is posted at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/CloverCreekBridge/.

During construction, additional WSDOT crews and Washington State Patrol troopers will be in force to help keep the work zones clear. Drivers are encouraged to check their routes before they go using our Web site at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ or by calling 511.

< Go Back