Project Title & Location
I-5 HOV - South 48th Street to Pacific Avenue, Tacoma

Project Description
Improves safety on I-5, from 38th Street to I-705 by adding a collector-distributor lane for safer merges on and off the freeway.

Contractor/Consultant
Kiewit Pacific Co.

Recent Progress

Bridge demolition is complete, allowing the contractor to proceed with construction of pier 2 shafts/columns for the new Yakima & Delin bridges. The Yakima pier 2 shafts are complete, pier 2 columns are in progress, and pier 3 abutment is nearing completion. The Delin Bridge pier 2 shafts are complete, pier 2 columns are in progress, and work started on the pier 3 footing and abutment. Work continues on the artistic noise barrier walls along northbound I-5 and the artistic wall panels between M St and SR 16. The NW wall is 75% complete and work started on the SB M St bridge widening at the north end of the wall. The MP wall is complete. 

Design Construction Impacts
The project office and contractor are negotiating to resolve the issues regarding stability of the old Yakima Bridge during the demolition phase.

The project office is monitoring potential utility conflicts with the remaining structure and drainage work.

The project office and contractor worked through issues regarding soil stability during soil nail wall construction and drainage tie-ins to the City of Tacoma system.

Environmental Impacts / Compliance

Noise barrier walls are being constructed to minimize the traffic noise on adjacent residences and schools.

Storm water detention ponds are constructed for use as part of the contractor’s temporary erosion control measures. They will later be modified for permanent water quantity and quality treatment to accommodate the widened roadway.

Water quality is monitored to ensure that turbidity and pH thresholds are not exceeded at discharge points. 

To ensure compliance with all permits and regulations, on-site meetings are conducted with the Department of Ecology bi-monthly and with the City of Tacoma quarterly.

Impacts to Traffic

The northbound lanes have been shifted to the collector-distributor and the southbound lanes to the old northbound lanes to facilitate construction of the new Yakima and Delin bridges. Getting southbound traffic around bridge-demolition work required a major shift – a fairly dramatic detour into the regular northbound lanes. Drivers will negotiate sharp curves getting in and out of the detour prompting WSDOT to lower the speed limit to a cautionary 45 mph on the mile-long stretch. These traffic revisions are required to get drivers safely around the bridge demolition work and get this safety and mobility project completed.  Traffic is traversing through the NB and SB detours at  an acceptable level.

Drivers also should be aware of an extended barrier between the southbound mainline and the merge lane from downtown Tacoma. The barrier severely reduces the time drivers will have to merge left to the mainline from downtown, conflicting with mainline drivers maneuvering right to exit at State Route 16 or South 38th Street.

Motorists can expect periodic nighttime lane closures on northbound and southbound I-5 throughout the project limits.

Electronic message signs and highway advisory radios (HARs) will be deployed throughout the area to alert travelers about traffic conditions and lane closures during construction.

Planned vs. Actual Expenditures
(Total Project Cost)

Nickel funds included in above costs

2005 Transportation Partnership Account