This is
section one: northbound I-5 between Military Road (S. 304th Street) and S. 260th Street
This is
section two: southbound I-5 between Northgate and Roanoke Street.
If you have ever taken the NE 45/50th Street exit in Seattle, you know how
bad this pavement is.
A crash can permanently damage the guardrail. We will
fix guardrail like this as part of this project.
What is WSDOT doing?
Interstate 5 through King County is nearly 50 years old and is used by more than 250,000 cars, trucks, semi-trucks, buses, and oversized vehicles every day. The road was designed to last 30-40 years.
Due to the strength of our concrete, the road has held up remarkably well. But it is now falling apart more quickly than maintenance crews can hold it together.
The pavement is cracking and breaking apart, cracking and has developed significant wheel ruts and potholes which make for a very rough ride.
The cracks in the pavement get longer, deeper and wider each year as the road goes through the winter freeze/thaw cycle. Temporary fixes to that pavement become more frequent, more expensive and less effective.
How will we fix it?
We will do two things:
- dig up and replace concrete 80 panels clustered in small sections.
- use a diamond grinder to smooth out several miles of freeway.
We've done this type of diamond grinding in Seattle before. We worked on I-5 between 175th Street and downtown Seattle in 2009.
Why is WSDOT
grinding and replacing concrete?
Drivers tell us these sections of I-5 are some of the worst in King County. They tell us the road is bumpy and the lane lines are difficult to see. During this project, we will grind down the pavement across all lanes of I-5 in one section and just the two right lanes in the other.
The road signs and guardrail must also be brought up to current national standards.
Crews will work in two areas:
- southbound I-5 between Northgate and south of Roanoke Street
- northbound I-5 between S. 317th and S. 260th Streets
On southbound I-5 near the University District, we will:
- grind and smooth the existing concrete panels in the two right lanes
- restripe northbound and southbound I-5 across the Ship Canal Bridge
- replace 31 concrete panels in the three right lanes near NE 50th Street
- restripe southbound I-5 between NE 50th and 117th Street (Northgate)
On northbound I-5, we will:
- grind and smooth all northbound lanes between S. 304th and S. 260th streets.
- replace 64 concrete panels in the two right lanes
- rebuild the outside shoulder of northbound I-5.
- repair potholes
- replace three miles of guardrail on both sides of the freeway
- replace 14 shoulder-mounted wooden signs with steel posts
- replace signs to increase reflectivity
- restripe northbound I-5 with specialized contrast striping to increase the visibility of the white stripes
The End Result
The end result will be a smoother and quieter ride for all drivers.
Drivers will also benefit from new guardrail and new high-visibility striping and more reflective signs.
Project Benefits
Drivers will enjoy a less bumpy ride on I-5.
This work will help hold I-5 together until future funding can be secured. Engineers estimate that it will cost about $2 billion to replace all the concrete pavement on I-5. At this time there is no funding source for this work.
What is the project timeline?
April 2012: Project is advertised for bidders
Fall 2012: Construction begins
February 2013: Construction complete
Financial Information
Project signage will reflect the cost of construction engineering, project bid award and sales tax.
$6.4 million - general gas tax funds
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Broch Bender
WSDOT Communications
206.440.4699
Broch.bender@wsdot.wa.gov
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