About the project
What’s happening to I-5?
We are extending the life of the freeway and improving safety for drivers by repairing about 20 miles of the most damaged concrete pavement on I-5 through Seattle.
This includes grinding down many of the worst areas of uneven pavement, and repaving and replacing nearly 450 failing concrete panels on I-5 between south Seattle and Shoreline.
Once the pavement is repaired, drivers will notice a smoother ride with fewer bumps, ruts and potholes
What’s wrong with I-5?
When I-5 was built in the 1960s, the pavement was designed to last 20 years. We’ve been lucky it’s lasted this long. The pavement on I-5 is now more than 40 years old and it is falling apart faster than crews can patch it up. We must repair the road to prevent further damage and extend the freeway’s life span.
Where are the worst spots on I-5?
The worst spots for broken panels are Shoreline, Northgate, the University District, Eastlake, Downtown, and South Seattle.
Will the I-5 repairs fix the problem with the old, worn out pavement on I-5?
No, we are fixing only the worst spots first. We have a bigger plan to repair I-5 between Tacoma and Everett, but that is more than a decade away and will cost several billion dollars, and nearly none of it is funded.
Are you going to work on the bridges and overpasses?
The work is occurring on ground level pavement only. Work will not address elevated sections of I-5, such as bridges, overpasses or viaducts.
How is this work different from the I-5 repairs completed in August 2007 on northbound I-5 south of Downtown Seattle?
In 2007 we closed lanes and ramps on northbound I-5 to replace bridge expansion joints and resurface the freeway.
The main differences between the projects are:
- The 2007 project was primarily an expansion joint replacement.
- The 2007 job was on a bridge; this year’s project is on ground-level pavement.
- Most of the pavement work on this year’s project is pavement repair, rather than placing new pavement.
Construction schedule and closures
What can drivers expect during construction?
From February through the summer drivers will see construction crews repairing the roadway up and down northbound and southbound I-5 between south Seattle and Shoreline.
Will you work at night and during weekends?
Most of the pavement grinding will occur during weeknight closures. During each weekend closure, crews will replace up to several dozen panels in one location.
How many closures?
Drivers can expect:
- Up to 14 weekend closures with one or two lanes of traffic open in one direction of I-5.
- At least 100 overnight closures with one or two lanes of traffic open in one direction of I-5.
- Up to two full weekend closures of the I-5 express lanes.
How can drivers and transit users stay informed about closures?
We encourage drivers to: Know before you go, Know on the go and have a plan.
Know before you go
Know on the go
- Listen to news radio in your car
- Tune to WSDOT’s highway advisory advisory
- Pay attention to signs, including WSDOT’s electronic message boards
Have a plan
If you are traveling through Seattle, leave extra time
- Plan out alternate routes before you set out
- Consider sharing the ride with a friend
- Pack extra on-the-road patience—this is the beginning of our busiest road construction season ever.
- Use the Web.
- We are posting closure information to our Web site and working closely with news media to help drivers make smart choices about getting around.
- Check our Web site to see when and where we will have construction crews out on I-5.
This is a busy construction season for us this year. We will have road construction projects all over the Puget Sound area. We are posting all of our road closure and construction impact information on our Web site and 511.
What is WSDOT doing to keep traffic moving during construction?
Our priority is to keep traffic moving.
- We are working at night and on weekends to help keep traffic moving during the morning and evening commute. .
- We are delivering timely, up-to-the minute information to allow drivers to make smart choices about their commute.
- On weekends we are keeping two lanes of traffic open through the construction zone during the day.
Construction noise
What can I expect to hear during construction?
Pavement repair work is unavoidably noisy. Because much of the work is a moving operation the location and level of noise will vary from night to night, and from hour to hour. See our noise flier for more information.
What is WSDOT doing about the noise?
We are taking a number of steps to reduce noise including installing noise shields around the equipment, and restricting backup alarms when it is safe to do so and limiting the times we scrape the roadway.
Will noise walls help reduce construction noise?
Many areas along I-5 where we will be working have noise walls. Noise walls along I-5 help reduce construction noise for nearby residents and surrounding communities but the walls will not cut out all the construction sounds.
What can residents do?
We’re asking for nearby resident’s patience. Please bear with us. This is a moving operation and we are working with the contractor to get the work done as swiftly as possible.
Pavement grinding
Will grinding result in a quieter freeway?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, it does. The FHWA cites reductions of five decibels in pavement noise on highways in Belgium after grinding. In addition, FHWA says there may be “a considerable difference in the frequency of noise, resulting in a more pleasant ride after diamond grinding.”
What does pavement grinding do?
Have you ever turned up the radio to drown out the “bump ba bump” noise on I-5? That bumpy noise is caused by driving over uneven, cracked concrete. Grinding removes a thin layer of pavement using closely spaced diamond saw blades. Grinding smooths out the highway surface and eliminates that “bump ba bump” noise.
Grinding also improves road traction and improves drainage on the highway so there is less standing water on the surface when it rains. Less standing water helps keep you safe by reducing the risk of hydroplaning.
Why grinding?
Grinding is the most effective way to smooth out uneven and cracked pavement. The diamond tipped grinding blades create a textured, corduroy pattern that improves traction for drivers and helps keep standing water off the road.
Does the grinding process use real diamonds?
Yes, the grinding process actually uses real industrial diamond tipped saw blades to cut off a thin layer of pavement. Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth, so they can easily slice through concrete.
About the contractor
Who is the contractor?
The contractor is Interstate Improvements from Minnesota. They were the lowest bidder. They have specialized grinding machines that, they say, can grind the road more quickly.
Are there incentives in place to get the work done faster?
There are no incentives in this contract other than the contractor wants to get in and get done so he can move to another state for more work. This contract runs through September. The contractor has a very aggressive schedule and hopes to be done by mid-summer if not earlier.
Is the whole crew from Minnesota?
No, there are only two people in Seattle from Interstate Improvements: one to manage the project and the other to manage the grinding machines. The rest of the crew was hired locally.
Local jobs
How many local workers are working on this job?
80 union workers were hired to do this job. In addition, the I-5 Pavement Repair project indirectly provides work for dozens of others through associated construction work. See where we are putting people to work.