Project Facts
- Washington State Patrol will enforce the 50 mile per hour construction zone speed limit.
- To remove the old girder and place the new one, crews will use two, 100-ton hydraulic cranes
- The only other way to safely perfom this work would be to completely close southbound I-5
April 2008
- Crews completed the repair work on the bridge and removed the traffic split on Sunday, Apr. 13.
WSDOT will remove and replace a damaged girder that supports the southbound I-5 overpass at Pacific Avenue in Everett. To do this work, we have to cut a hole in the middle lanes of southbound I-5. We will keep traffic moving during construction by installing a traffic island in the middle of southbound I-5, separating the two left lanes from the right lane through the project area.
Why is WSDOT
replacing a damaged bridge girder?
In Dec. 2006, a truck operated by a private company struck two girders supporting southbound I-5 at Pacific Avenue while trying to maneuver an oversized load under the overpass.
WSDOT bridge specialists inspected the damaged girders. They determined that one was cracked and could be repaired in place, but the other girder was more severely damaged. They decided a temporary repair would allow the road to safely remain open until crews could tear out and replace the damaged girder.
Although the temporary fix allows traffic to use the bridge on a short-term basis, we must replace the girder in order to permanently repair the bridge.
We are repairing the bridge while other construction activities in the area are still under way. This will minimize the disruption to traffic and allows WSDOT to use the same contractor, Atkinson/CH2M Hill, to easily and cost-effectively perform the girder replacement.
What can drivers expect?
In order to provide a safe work zone with minimal affect to traffic, crews will build a construction island in the middle of southbound I-5 that will stretch from Marine View Drive to 41st Street. The 1.5 mile long construction zone will run down the middle of the freeway, splitting southbound traffic into two lanes on the left and one lane on the right.
All lanes will continue southbound on I-5. However, the two left lanes will not allow access to US 2, Everett Avenue or 41st Street exits. Drivers wishing to use these exits must use the right lane.
Additionally, we are lowering the speed limit to 50 miles per hour through the construction zone. Washington State Patrol officers will enforce this lower limit, and drivers should remember that traffic fines double in construction zones. We ask that drivers slow down and give their full attention to the road.
Crews will also need to close the right lane of southbound I -5 at night while they demolish the girder and bridge deck to provide space for large equipment. We will also close the ramp from southbound I-5 to eastbound US 2 for up to 20 nights and may need to close additional lanes as work requires.
We are committed to keeping traffic moving and are using an aggressive construction schedule for this project. We expect work to take up to eight weeks. However, some of the work, including paving and striping, is heavily weather dependent. If the spring weather does not cooperate, the traffic split may be in place longer than eight weeks.
The End Result
We will replace the damaged girder that supports the southbound I-5 overpass at Pacific Avenue and return southbound I-5 back to its original configuration.
Project Benefits
- Safety: Replacing the damaged girder will ensure that the bridge remains safe for drivers.
- Economic Incentive: Replacing the damaged girder will eliminate the need to tear apart new I-5 Everett HOV work later. Replacing it now, instead of after we complete work on the I-5 Everett HOV freeway expansion, allows WSDOT to use the contractor already in the area, cutting out the cost of moving equipment and workers to the site.
What is the project timeline?
- Dec. 2006 - An oversized truck hit the southbound I-5 bridge over Pacific Avenue
- April 2007 - Temporary repairs were made to one of the damaged girders
- June 2007 - WSDOT selected Atkinson/CH2M Hill to make permanent repairs to the damaged girder
- Dec. 2007 - Design engineers began planning how to demolish and replace the Pacific Avenue bridge girder
- March 2008 - We will begin repairs and install the work-zone island in the middle of southbound I-5
- Late April 2008 - We expect to complete construction and return southbound I-5 to its original configuration
Public Involvement
Your thoughts and opinions are important to us. For more details about project involvement, contact Patty Michaud at MichauP@wsdot.wa.gov
Environmental Protection
During construction, we will ensure that our contractor takes all the necessary steps to protect the environment and to comply with environmental permits.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental
Services Web site for more information.
Increasing safety is one of our priorities
We are protecting the safety of drivers and construction crews by building a safe work zone that allows crews to complete repairs with minimal disruption to traffic. We are making every effort to alert drivers of the changing traffic configuration, and we are also lowering the speed limit in the area to give drivers more time to react and make decisions as they approach the barrier.
We ask that drivers practice safe work-zone driving habits by slowing down and giving their full attention to the road through the project area.
Will this project impact tribal resources?
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the tribal nations using the process outlined in Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act and the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan.
Financial Information
WSDOT estimates the repairs will approximately $1 million. The cost of repairs will be covered by the company who operates the truck that struck the overpass.
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Patty Michaud
2802 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 500
Everett, WA 98203
Phone: 425-405-1785
E-mail: MichauP@wsdot.wa.gov
Connie Lewis
2802 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 500
Everett, WA 98203
Phone: 425.405.1796
E-mail: LewisC@wsdot.wa.gov
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