Host of construction projects for I-5 planned in coming months
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SEATTLE - State transportation officials are planning a host of construction projects along Interstate 5 in the Seattle area over the coming four months to make critical repairs to the aging freeway.
In all, 20 weekend projects involving lane closures and closures of some off- and on-ramps are planned from now to April. The first closure is planned for the weekend of Jan. 4-7.
"There are so many construction projects in the Seattle area, we didn’t want to add to the summer construction jam,” said Russ East, assistant regional administrator with the state Department of Transportation.
“We planned ahead, worked with other agencies and determined that construction in January through April was the best way to get our work done and cause fewer headaches for drivers.”
Between January and April in downtown Seattle, crews will:
• Replace 31 expansion joints on ramps linking I-5, the West Seattle Bridge and Columbian Way and one joint on northbound I-5 just south of the ramps.
• Grind and smooth out three lanes of southbound I-5 between 50th Street and Roanoke Street in the University District and add durable striping to both directions of I-5 between Northgate and Roanoke Street.
• Use concrete and polystyrene to replace the creosote-soaked timber of the old Highway 99 bridge over Spokane Street just south of the West Seattle Bridge.
• Replace bridge expansion joints and repave the ramp on northbound I-5 to Spokane Street (the West Seattle Bridge) and northbound and southbound I-5 off-ramps at Corson Avenue.
The total cost for these four projects is less than $30 million - not that expensive but very important from a safety perspective, transportation officials said. Left unfixed, cracking concrete and steel expansion joints that unexpectedly pop out can bring traffic through downtown Seattle to a stop.
I-5 is more than 50 years old and falling apart faster than state transportation crews can repair it, according to DOT officials. Each year, the Department of Transportation identifies areas most in need of repair and schedules critically important construction work.
“Waiting for an emergency to repair the backbone of our transportation system isn’t safe or a good use of taxpayer dollars,” East added.
This year, crews will focus on high-traffic areas, such as I-5 in downtown Seattle, the West Seattle Bridge interchange and the University District.
In all, 20 weekend projects involving lane closures and closures of some off- and on-ramps are planned from now to April. The first closure is planned for the weekend of Jan. 4-7.
"There are so many construction projects in the Seattle area, we didn’t want to add to the summer construction jam,” said Russ East, assistant regional administrator with the state Department of Transportation.
“We planned ahead, worked with other agencies and determined that construction in January through April was the best way to get our work done and cause fewer headaches for drivers.”
Between January and April in downtown Seattle, crews will:
• Replace 31 expansion joints on ramps linking I-5, the West Seattle Bridge and Columbian Way and one joint on northbound I-5 just south of the ramps.
• Grind and smooth out three lanes of southbound I-5 between 50th Street and Roanoke Street in the University District and add durable striping to both directions of I-5 between Northgate and Roanoke Street.
• Use concrete and polystyrene to replace the creosote-soaked timber of the old Highway 99 bridge over Spokane Street just south of the West Seattle Bridge.
• Replace bridge expansion joints and repave the ramp on northbound I-5 to Spokane Street (the West Seattle Bridge) and northbound and southbound I-5 off-ramps at Corson Avenue.
The total cost for these four projects is less than $30 million - not that expensive but very important from a safety perspective, transportation officials said. Left unfixed, cracking concrete and steel expansion joints that unexpectedly pop out can bring traffic through downtown Seattle to a stop.
I-5 is more than 50 years old and falling apart faster than state transportation crews can repair it, according to DOT officials. Each year, the Department of Transportation identifies areas most in need of repair and schedules critically important construction work.
“Waiting for an emergency to repair the backbone of our transportation system isn’t safe or a good use of taxpayer dollars,” East added.
This year, crews will focus on high-traffic areas, such as I-5 in downtown Seattle, the West Seattle Bridge interchange and the University District.
Host of toll projects for I-5 planned in coming months
Why is it that everyone complains here when there are announcements that we're improving the roads for ourselves? It's like listening to a bunch of hungry people complain because the kitchen is dirty and in use.
@Bellevue Scott - haven't you figured out that most of the KOMO posters are whiners and beechers?
 @Bellevue Scott If fees and taxes were spent with prudence and responsibly, you wouldn't hear about people complaining. If I paid someone to do my roof, I'd expect it to be done with efficiency, not turn into a planning committee doing studies and paying subpar contractors to do work they're supposed to be doing sometime in the far past.
 @jelisized  What do you know about planning and scheduling transportation infrastructure projects anyway??? Are you a licensed civil engineer with experience designing these kind of projects? Or are you just another blow hard that likes to sound off?
 @Bellevue Scott Because it probably means another EXTORTION fee to drive on State Highways,
The total cost for these four projects is less than $30 million.....
Knowing the history of our DOT, I'd like to see a follow up story on KOMO that tells us it came in at $45 Million uopn completion...won't happen though....the KING 5 Investigators will beat 'em to it.
I bet you that they are gonna install the Toll Booths,not fixing the I-5 !
I bet the mayor would like a few bike lanes striped onto I-5 while they are working.
Having grown up in the southwest, I-5 is a complete and crumbling mess.
 @northwestsurfer That is very true. Anybody that has any doubts should just open up their car door and take a look at the concrete pavement next time they are stopped in bumper-to-bumper I-5 traffic. After 50 years of service, the concrete pavement is cracked, badly rutting in the wheel lines (Can anyone say "hydroplaning"?), has chunks missing, exposed rusting rebar, settled concrete panels, and disintegrating steel sliding plate expansion joints. How many more years do the whiners expect the roadway to last anway? It was only a few months ago that a chunk of roadway concrete went through a motorist's windshield.
@northwestsurfer - I too grew up in Phoenix, but you have to remember most of the road construction, freeway wise down that way at least is NOT 50 years old. I do miss those freeways though, they are wide and wide open most of the time and even if you get the big accident that clogs it, there are enough side roads that go alongside to get you where you're going. These roads up here are a freaking mess and totally clogged no matter what.
@Elaine2 yeah, and the weather was different there, in favor of the roads. However, the culture in that state is not constantly suing, litigating, creating blue ribbon panels, initiatives to stop something, conducting impact studies, etc. All of that is wasted money and time, the reason nothing gets done here.
@Elaine2 Babbit was a good governor. Remember Evan Mecham?
@northwestsurfer - true enough. I do remember a time though when there were some slimeballs down there who were fighting the extension of the Superstition freeway into the east valley - and the then governor Bruce Babbitt took a helicopter up and said no way - the state needed it and it proceeded. At least he had/has the balls to do something - this last governor Gregoire did not get a whole lot done.
 @northwestsurfer The climate up here is also, overall, a lot harsher on roads than that of the southwest.
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@the unvarnished truth @mhungry
the unvarnished truth @mhungry Completely wrong. The asphalt heats up to very high temperatures, and expands; and occasionally will divot when cars are parked on it. It freezes here, its very wet compared to the southwest, and potholes are constantly being created as a result.
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Heat does not deteriorate asphalt the way water and cold do. Asphalt is laid down under heat, not when its frozen. There is a reason Davis-Monthan AFB has an aircraft boneyard; because it is dry and hot. There is a reason mummies in ancient Egypt were so well preserved; because it is dry and hot. There is a reason General Motors had a proving ground outside of Mesa; because it was dry and hot. Lack of moisture is favorable to all of the above.
I dont know where you got nights below freezing, it rarely if at all freezes in phoenix. Summertime lows average in the 90s and even over 100 at night. But you know more than me apparently, despite having lived in Arizona for 20 years.
close it, fix it, and re-open. I'd rather drive on a safe road then a collapsed one any day.
I am all for them fixing aging infrastructure but with other closures going on, that's going to make for a lot of grumpy drivers. Going to have to pass along this alert to those who frequent Seattle more than I do. Drive safe everyone!