Date:  Thursday, August 04, 2011

Contact: Denys Tak, WSDOT Project Engineer, 360-442-1341 (Kelso)
Heidi Sause, WSDOT Communications, 360-905-2057 (Vancouver)

WOODLAND – Drivers in Cowlitz County will see orange construction barrels on Interstate 5 next week as work begins on a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) project to improve safety and preserve the heavily traveled freight corridor between Woodland and Kalama.

Beginning 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, contractor crews will begin work to replace eight miles of deteriorating concrete panels and resurface pavement on the interstate between the East Fork Lewis River Bridge and Todd Road.

Drivers on both directions of I-5 should expect nighttime double-lane closures and daytime single-lane closures throughout project construction, which is scheduled for completion this fall.

In addition to paving work, crews will replace aging expansion joints on the southbound span of the Dike Road Bridge, upgrade guardrail, signs and street lights, and pave eight ramps at the Dike Road and State Route 503 interchanges in Woodland.

While working at the SR 503 interchange, WSDOT’s contractor also will upgrade 11 sidewalk ramps to meet current American with Disability Act standards, and build a new sidewalk along the south side of Lewis River Road beneath the I-5 overpass.

Replacing concrete panels and resurfacing the interstate will extend the life of the roadway and provide a smoother and safer ride for motorists. The project also strengthens and preserves the road surface, allowing I-5 to continue handling more than 55,000 daily commuter and freight vehicles.

This $5.9 million I-5, East Fork Lewis River to Todd Road Vicinity paving project is funded through federal highway improvement dollars and was awarded in July to Granite Construction, Inc. of Yakima.

Stay up-to-date on construction-related traffic impacts by visiting WSDOT’s Travel Alerts and Southwest Region Construction Update web pages.


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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 www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 511.

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