By Doug Adamson

Our crews have knocked out one of two high-traffic-impact weekends on I-5 at the US 101 interchange in Olympia. They return during the weekend of Sept. 19 to complete the effort to replace a troubled bridge joint that’s been hammered by heavy traffic since Ronald Reagan was President of the United States.

Because of the location of the work zone – a key interchange with limited alternate routes – we asked drivers to stay away. Drivers did just that.

We offer immense gratitude for drivers who avoided I-5 in Olympia during the weekend of Sept 12.

We thank drivers for:

• Avoiding the area.
• Traveling earlier or later in the day.
• Using inconvenient alternative routes.
• Staying focused while driving through the work zone.

We warned of possible 14-mile backups
We saw virtually no backups in either direction of I-5, and minimal backups on US 101 approaching I-5. Why didn’t those lengthy backups develop? It’s because drivers took our advice to heart. Drivers who avoided the area did their part. The substantial reduction in traffic even allowed crews to finish and reopen the northbound lanes 25 hours earlier than scheduled. It also helped keep the roadway open for first responders, police, and medics. 

Green = good! This traffic map image shows that on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 3:03 p.m., traffic in both directions of I-5 was free-flowing. WSDOT thanks drivers for responding to our request to avoid the area!

Crews used last weekend to create two separate work zones on northbound and southbound I-5.

The concentration of vehicles in the photo are where crews were excavating old concrete, removing the old expansion joint and pouring new concrete in the northbound lanes of I-5. They created a twin work zone in southbound I-5 and repeated the process.

Crews complete finishing touches after replacing a failing I-5 expansion joint in Olympia. After the concrete cured and traffic control was removed, the roadway was reopened to traffic.

The bridge joint spans 171 feet of northbound and southbound I-5 lanes and US 101 ramps. Crews completed half of the project during the weekend of Sept. 12. They will return to complete the job during the weekend of Sept. 19.

So you have one more weekend?
Half of the expansion joint concrete work was completed over the weekend of Sept. 12. Crews will return again over the weekend of Sept. 19 to finish the job. Because of the pinch point, we’re again asking drivers to avoid I-5 in Olympia.  Unless drivers change their travel plans, those mega-backups could quickly develop. This second time around, an additional restriction will be in place - from late Thursday, Sept. 18, to Monday morning, Sept. 22, the speed limit on northbound I-5 will be reduced to 35 mph through the work zone. Drivers on Friday can expect backups on northbound I-5 as well as on the southbound US 101 on-ramp to northbound I-5. During the weekend, there could be backups in both directions since I-5 will have reduced lanes in each direction both day and night.

During the upcoming weekend, you can see with this over-simplified graphic that drivers will encounter closed lanes.

Northbound I-5 traffic will be shifted to the right. Vehicles will travel in an area – called a gore point – that’s generally closed to traffic. Southbound I-5 won’t have a traffic shift, but the lanes will also be reduced. The southbound I-5 exit to northbound US 101 will remain open. Note: both nearby on-ramps to I-5 (Henderson/14th Ave SE on-ramp to southbound I-5 and Deschutes Way to northbound I-5) will be closed through the weekend.

Traffic wasn’t bad at all last weekend
We ask drivers to not become complacent about the upcoming weekend given the light traffic volumes last weekend.  Our advice for the weekend of Sept. 19 remains the same: Avoid I-5 in Olympia. If you must go, travel early in the morning or late at night.

Know before you go
Check Olympia area travel cameras before you leave. Give yourself information about whether you need to avoid the area or take an alternate route.

See the project page for more information: I-5 - Vicinity Tumwater Blvd to Gravelly Lake Dr - Paving

 by Cara Mitchell

Whenever we can, we work at night so motorists can get where they need to go during the day. Once in a while, a project comes along that doesn’t allow night work exclusively. Mid-September in Olympia is one of those times.  Mark your calendars, because over the weekends of Sept. 12 and 19, a planned I-5 expansion joint repair near Olympia’s Capitol Lake will require day and night lane and ramp closures. Traffic models show that even with up to 30 percent of motorists going elsewhere those two weekends, we can still expect to see miles-long backups on I-5 and on US 101 approaching I-5.  This work is weather dependent. In the event of rain, the weekend of Sept. 26 is a backup weekend for the work to take place.

The intersection of I-5 and US 101 is the site for the bridge expansion joint repair project planned for the weekends of Sept. 12 and 19.

Best advice?  Avoid the area!  If you must drive on I-5 through Olympia during those two weekends, come through before 10 a.m. (the earlier the better), or wait until after 8 p.m. (the later the better).  In addition to the backups, expect narrowed and realigned lanes and closed ramps. Closure details can be found on our project website. Here’s why the work must be done.

Construction details
Our construction crews are repairing a 28-year old expansion joint that spans the width of northbound and southbound I-5, and some ramps, near Capitol Lake in Olympia. The concrete surrounding the joints has deteriorated and has already led to some events in which the steel in the expansion joint caused damage to vehicles.  The synthetic rubber seals that are meant to keep the joint waterproof are also broken, allowing water to leak through the joints and cause other concerns. Over those two weekends, we will remove and re-pour the concrete headers around the expansion joint and, in subsequent nights, replace the old rubber seals with a silicone-based seal.

Expansion joints are a critical part of a bridge’s infrastructure. The joints allow the bridge to move and flex with changing traffic and weather conditions. Around the state (most recently, in the greater Seattle area) we have been working hard this summer to repair or replace failing bridge expansion joints. As with our highways, the expansion joints are aging and need attention.  If ignored, failed expansion joints can result in emergency lane closures at very inopportune times.  We want to repair these joints under scheduled closures before they fail.

Keep traffic moving
We are asking motorists to avoid this area of I-5 and US 101 in Olympia.  Over a typical Saturday and Sunday, this stretch of I-5 is traveled by more than 276,000 vehicles. Mix in multiple lane closures in both directions, with motorists trying to get to sporting events, concerts or even a quick trip to the mall, and suddenly  too many vehicles are traveling on too little pavement. The outcome is - you guessed it -gridlock resulting in miles-long backups.

We need your help during the weekends of Sept. 12 and 19. At the risk of repeating ourselves, avoid using I-5 and US 101 in Olympia.  If you must go, plan ahead. If you know the back roads, take them, but keep in mind local side streets around the work zone will see an increase in congestion too. If you’re traveling from south of Olympia north to Tacoma or Seattle, look at alternate state routes such as SR 12, SR 7, SR 702, US 12, or US 101. If you must take I-5, plan on traveling before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. to avoid lengthy backups. If you’re heading south to Portland, or to the coastal beaches, the same advice applies.

Our goal with every project, including this one, is to get the construction work done as quickly and safely as possible with the least effect on the traveling public. This particular type of work requires that concrete be removed, re-poured and cured in the same timeframe. After careful consideration, we determined that condensing the work into two admittedly difficult travel weekends was still the best work method that would have the least impact on traffic.

What if I can’t change my travel plans?
Let’s be frank – things are going to be rough. In addition to exploring alternate routes or taking alternative modes of transportation, expect to sit in long backups for both north and southbound I-5, and eastbound US 101 in Olympia. Make sure your gas tank is full or your battery fully charged before heading out. If traveling with kids, be prepared to hear the classic question, “Are we there yet” multiple times. Pack your patience and avoid road rage.

We will have additional Incident Response Teams pre-positioned in the work zone to clear any collisions that might occur. The Washington State Patrol will also be on scene to keep an eye on things.

Stay engaged with road conditions over both weekends. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to WSDOT’s GovDelivery to receive information via email or text on current traffic conditions.

Visit our I-5 Olympia Expansion Joint Repair website to learn more information.

By Bart Treece

The name of the game is to keep traffic moving safely. But when there are several construction and maintenance projects that need to get on the road, the job gets complicated.

There really isn’t a “good” time to close part of entire stretches of highway in a large metropolitan area. However, the work needs to get done. Much of it is important for maintaining and preserving our aging infrastructure, like replacing bridge expansion joints (pdf 937 kb) on I-5 or patching the deck of the Ship Canal Bridge. Ignoring these issues would eventually mean unscheduled emergency closures that could impact your regular route to work. We all saw how badly traffic was snarled when a damaged joint needed repairs ASAP last week. This is why we try to schedule these closures when it affects the least amount of people, at night if possible. Some projects need more time, such as when there’s concrete involved which needs time to cure before its strong enough to hold the weight of hundreds of thousands of vehicles. That leaves the weekend, when fewer folks hit the roads.

The white board where closures are initially coordinated with large Seattle events and holidays

Looking at only weekends, we try to avoid four during the summer: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Seafair and Labor Day weekend. This adds up to a whole month without weekend closures because we know those are big travel times. We’re now left trying to juggle projects on competing corridors, such as SR 520 and I-90 or SR 99, I-5 and I-405. It doesn’t take a traffic engineer to know that closing lanes in the same direction on north/south or east/west routes at the same time would be a very bad thing. Also add into the mix that there are several events including Mariners, Sounders, Husky and Seahawks football game traffic we try to take into consideration. We can’t forget weather, which isn’t always predictable in the ‘Pugetopolis’ region. The threat of liquid sunshine can push a weather-sensitive project back to another weekend.

With projects on every major route planned this summer, there’s not that many weekends left. When possible, we try to combine work to avoid spreading project impacts further along than needed.

By Lynn Peterson

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Skagit River Bridge collapse. I was just finishing dinner when I received a call saying that a section of the Interstate 5 Skagit River Bridge had collapsed and several vehicles were in the water. I knew this was not a drill and that it would certainly be a critical test for my agency moving forward.

My first thought was how many people could be hurt? As first responders arrived on scene, the Governor and I flew out of Olympia by helicopter to survey the damage. Details were

After - The completed bridge

sparse. We knew that an oversized truck appeared to have hit a support beam of the steel-trussed bridge, which was later determined to cause the collapse. Thankfully, everyone who was on the bridge was found safe. Unfortunately, the state suffered a tragic loss after the bridge collapse when Trooper Sean O’Connell was killed while managing detour traffic. He made the ultimate sacrifice serving the citizens of Washington. 

The next three months, were a challenge for impacted Skagit families, communities and businesses as well as for this agency. And with just three months on the job, I along with many other people in our state, became keenly aware of the vulnerability of our transportation infrastructure.
A lot of questions arose from the impact of the Skagit River Bridge collapse. Questions about the safety of our bridges, commercial vehicles that carry goods long distances, and what more could be done to keep people moving.


There are nearly 3,700 bridges in our state inventory, and many were built long ago and are still in good shape. With the Skagit River Bridge, many people outside of the engineering world learned new terms, “Fracture Critical,” and “Functionally Obsolete.” Simply put, Fracture Critical means if that if key supports fail, the bridge is in danger of collapsing. Functionally Obsolete is a technical term to reflect that design standard have changed, and a modern bridge would be built differently. Neither term means that a bridge is unsafe. Our bridges are inspected at least every two years, to ensure they are able to meet the day-to-day demands of traffic. With our detailed records, we can make strategic decision for improvements and extend the life of these structures.

When the I-5 Skagit River Bridge was first constructed in 1955, freight cargo wasn’t nearly as large as it can be today. Since 2008, we’ve issued around 860,000 special vehicle permits for oversized and overweight loads. That number coupled with the 103 bridge impacts during the same time period show that freight haulers are generally very good about following the law by ensuring their load can safely travel underneath our structures. Still, the target is zero. We can’t drive the routes for each trucker, but we can provide drivers with good information so they can make good decisions. We sign our overhanging structures more aggressively than the national standard, provide easy to access permitting information and up-to-date restrictions for highways statewide.

Our team was able to quickly reopen the bridge to traffic in 27 days with a temporary span, followed by a permanent replacement in 66 days using a creative design-build method that minimized traffic impacts. This was an impressive achievement carried out by a creative team driven to reconnect our communities along this vital corridor and funded by our partners at the Federal Highway Administration.


Before Thanksgiving, we even raised the overheard clearance to 18 feet across all lanes. We’ve been asked about retrofitting the overhead height of other bridges, but we simply do not have the funding. With the little money we do have, we strategically use it (pdf) for preservation like painting projects that prevent corrosion of our steel structures, or bridge deck rehab projects that can extend the structure’s life 20 to 30 years to keep traffic moving.

There’s still one more chapter to be written for the Skagit River Bridge, and that will be included in the final report from the National Transportation Safety Board. With their information, we could learn what, if anything can be done to better protect our transportation infrastructure for generations to come.

By Harmony Haveman Weinberg, aka @wsdot_traffic afternoon gal

Hooray! Spring has officially arrived! However, that excitement could turn into a headache if you do not plan ahead for some major traffic impacts this weekend. There are so many closures to tell you about, it’s tough to do in more than 140 characters.  But, I’ve got you covered. We’ll get through this together.

Closure hot spots include I-5, I-405 and SR 99:

Let’s take a look at the big picture. There are closures happening throughout the weekend on three major roadways in the area. Click on the map to the right to get a good idea of where you can expect to see backups and added congestion.

Now let’s divulge into the nitty-gritty details.

Here’s what’s closed:

I-5 in Seattle

• 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday – Our contractor crews will close all but a single lane on the northbound I-5 collector-distributor to replace worn and aging expansion joints.

Mercer Street ramps to I-5

• 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday - The City of Seattle will close the Mercer Street on-ramps to both north and southbound I-5 to install traffic detection equipment.

SR 99 closures in Seattle

• 11 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday - All southbound lanes of SR 99 will be closed between Valley and Thomas Streets for girder settings as part of the City of Seattle’s Mercer Corridor project.
• 4:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday - All lanes of the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed between South Spokane Street and the Battery Street Tunnel for bridge inspection.

I-405 closure in Bellevue

• 11 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday - Eastside drivers will need to use alternate exits on I-405 to reach downtown Bellevue as the southbound off-ramp to Northeast Eighth Street will be closed all weekend for drainage and barrier work.

Heaviest traffic backups

Since I watch traffic every weekday afternoon to bring you the most up to date information, I have a good idea of what you can expect this weekend. Westbound I-90 coming into Seattle will get backed up. That said, the westbound I-90 express lanes will be open to help alleviate some of the congestion.

Going shopping? If you plan to join me in finding some good sales this weekend in Bellevue, expect heavy backups on southbound I-405. The ramp to Northeast 8th Street will be closed. You will want to take the Northeast 4th Street exit instead. Northbound I-405 drivers will want to take the Northeast 8th Street off-ramp, because that part will still be open.

Heading northbound I-5 into Seattle? You will see backups too. Our brilliant traffic engineers point out this can be a heavy travel spot even without lane closures. Drivers could start to see slowdowns at Boeing Field. The I-5 express lanes will help ease up some of the backups.

What *YOU* can do

• Delay or combine your trips if possible.
• Carpool or take public transit.
• Follow us on Twitter! We will be working throughout the weekend! Our team will stay on top of the traffic conditions.
• Get the app!
• Most importantly – be informed about the closures and plan your weekend around them.

By guest blogger Bart Treece

A sky of blue, a sea of green and a river of red brake lights….OK… that’s not how it goes, but that’s what folks could be seeing this weekend, unless they plan ahead  for congestion.

Let me explain. There are so many things to do this weekend in Seattle, and sitting in traffic shouldn’t be one of them when you’d rather be cheering the Sounders on against Sporting KC, enjoying the Seattle Dog Show or watching the women of the Pac-12 battle it out on the hardwood. With so much happening it might be kind of tough to get to where you want to be on time without some preplanning.

What’s going on?

Our contractor crews will be closing all but one lane on the northbound I-5 collector-distributor, which runs parallel to the wider section of I-5 between I-90 and Madison Street. The collector-distributor or “C-D” as it’s known in traffic-talk, helps merge cars from I-90 to I-5 and downtown off- and on-ramps. Here’s some nifty animation that shows how vehicles will navigate through the work zone.

The closure is the fifth of nine in this part of I-5 to replace 26 worn and aging bridge expansion joints before they go bust, which would lead to flat tires, emergency closures and major headaches. It’s happened before, and it ain’t pretty.

Emergency repairs to a damaged expansion joint in Dec. 2013

Traffic tips

Plan your trips ahead of time and know before you go. Carpooling, taking transit, delaying or combining trips will help reduce congestion in the area for everyone. Use alternate routes. If you can, take the backdoor into downtown Seattle on SR 599 to SR 99. We often see free-flowing traffic on this under-utilized route during weekend closures ...just sayin’.

With heavy traffic expected on westbound I-90 into downtown, SR 520 might be a better cross-lake route. The I-90 express lanes will look good westbound, and will be open to all (both carpoolers and solo drivers) during times of high congestion (keep an eye on the highway signs). Sounders fans should expect some delays heading eastbound after the match, so hanging in Pioneer Square for an hour to let traffic settle down would be a good idea. To head north from SoDo, take SR 99 or use surface streets to access the Cherry Street on-ramp to I-5 or the 5th Avenue & Cherry ramp to I-5 express.

You can always see how traffic is or isn’t moving through the area on the Seattle Traffic page or with the WSDOT mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.

There’s really never a “good” time to tighten traffic, but we really appreciate your patience and understanding when we do have closures for construction. Knowing ahead of time and planning for congestion really helps keep people moving, and we appreciate everyone for chipping in.

By Bart Treece

So this weekend, we’re closing lanes on a section of southbound I-5 that’s not quite part of the highway, and not quite a ramp.

The formal name of this thing is the southbound Interstate 5 collector-distributor, and it’s tough to come up with a name that resonates well with folks who aren’t traffic geeks. So what is a collector distributor and how will this affect you this weekend? Good question.  Let’s define collector distributor first. It’s kind of a traffic tweener, meaning it serves many purposes.  This stretch of roadway runs parallel to I-5, and most drivers will recognize it as the southbound I-5 exit to I-90 and the International District. It also connects Spring and James Street on-ramps to southbound I-5, and gives drivers an option to head east to I-90.

Here’s how it works. This animation shows three cars heading south, with the green car peeling off to Airport Way the red car to I-90. The blue car continues south and winds up back on I-5.



Our resident traffic geeks love the collector-distributor as a way to bypass mainline congestion and maximize available roadway. Some folks might be timid to try this (and due to construction this weekend it wouldn’t be a good idea to try it until Monday), because they see the sign and think they’ll end up on Mercer Island instead of points south of downtown. Taking the collector-distributor is totally legal, except for places where it isn’t, like I-405 at NE 85th Street in Kirkland, or anywhere else that is signed exit only. Even the sign on I-405 says it’s verboten, and you could get a ticket.


Back to this weekend, here’s how traffic will move through the construction zone. If this red car is you, don’t let the orange construction stuff scare you, you will still be able to get to I-90 from I-5.


Here’s the details

All but a single lane on the southbound I-5 collector-distributor will close at 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 until 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24. At the same time, the on-ramps from Spring and James streets to southbound I-5 will also close. Need to take a downtown ramp to I-90? Try 4th Avenue South and hop on near the Stadiums. There will be marked detours on surface streets in Seattle.

More weekend closure information can be found on our What’s Happening Now page.

By guest blogger Harmony Haveman Weinberg, aka @wsdot_traffic afternoon gal

As the official eyes of the afternoon Seattle commute, I see gnarly, nasty, unexpected and unpredictable traffic backups. Just how bad is the frustration among those stuck in a backup? Well, imagine being around your sweetie who did not receive flowers on Valentine’s Day. Yes. Drivers can feel that frustrated.

(Pssst: The holiday is Friday, Feb. 14! You’ve been warned.)

While some traffic events are unavoidable, dealing with major backups on southbound Interstate 5 in Seattle this weekend can be prevented. How? Well, it’s really all up to you, the individual driver.

You have the power, but I want to help.

I have some tips to guide you. Consider this my Valentine’s gift to you. But unlike the mystery of an unmarked box of chocolates, these tips will help you know what you are going to get.What’s that? You want to give me a gift, too? Here’s what I’d really like (besides roses and chocolate, of course): Help us spread the love this Valentine’s Day weekend by making sure all your loved ones get the message and plan ahead too.

When can I expect major backups this weekend?

• Any time from 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 through 5 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18

Where’s the construction?

• Two of three lanes on southbound I-5 between Pine Street (just north of the Washington State Convention Center)  and I-90 in downtown Seattle. During the closure we will replace four highway-wide expansion joints.

Crews chipped away concrete and debris last month in preparation to replace a 50-year-old expansion joint.

But I have to drive into Seattle this weekend!

• Avoid southbound I-5 into the city if possible. SR 99 is the best alternative.
• All on- and off-ramps in downtown Seattle will remain open.
• We’re keeping the I-5 express lanes open southbound until 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. This helps provide more access to the downtown Seattle on- and off-ramps, especially useful for carpoolers (hint, hint). However, and I stress however, they will not help you avoid the big closure because where they end, the construction begins. The I-5 express lanes will operate southbound on Monday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Can you carpool? Take public transit? Take rail? Maybe work from home if you don’t get Presidents Day off?
• Local streets are also good alternates.
• If you plan to travel south of downtown, consider using southbound I-405.

Will I be able to access I-90?

• You betcha! The collector distributor, which runs parallel to southbound I-5, will be open allowing you to access I-90.  See map below.

History speaks for itself:

• We’ve had closures like this before. A few weeks ago it took folks traveling northbound about 50 minutes to get through the work zone. The alternate routes were underutilized. This weekend can be different, but the keys to change this are in the hands of drivers. Have your plan ready to go and avoid backups.

Why is the closure happening on the long President’s Day holiday weekend?

• There’s really no good time to reduce southbound I-5 to one lane in Seattle. With that said, this is crucial work that needs to be completed as soon as possible. While we make sure road work isn’t taking up lanes on busy travel holidays like Memorial or Labor Day weekends, President’s Day is different. It’s not a holiday for everyone but historically there are fewer vehicles on the road. Also, by working until the wee hours of Tuesday morning we can pack two weekends worth of expansion joint repair work into a single one.

@wsdot_twitter will not leave you!

• Follow us on Twitter! We will be working throughout the weekend! Our team will stay on top of the traffic conditions.
• Get the app! Let’s just say, it could be your best friend this weekend (besides, of course, your Valentine)

Remember, you have the power to keep traffic backups to a minimum! Together… We can do this!

 By guest blogger Broch Bender

Greetings drivers!

It’s your friend I-5 here with some important medical news to share with you.

You see, I recently had a checkup and it looks like 50 years of constant wear and tear on my highway expansion joints has caught up with me again. Yes, the prognosis is in; time for another regimen of expansion joint replacement surgeries through downtown Seattle.

Staring Friday night, WSDOT will call in the specialists to perform triage surgery on 26 of my aching, worn out joints. The first round of treatment starts this weekend, which requires more than half of my northbound lanes to be laid up through downtown Seattle until 10 a.m. Sunday morning.

The doc’s instructions call for nine weekends of lane closures between I-90 and the Washington State Convention Center to replace all 26 joints.

I realize these procedures could be painful for drivers, but ultimately the prescription delivers some relief too. You see, broken joints are not only hazardous to my health; they also put your car at risk for possible damage and can quickly choke your commute.

On Dec. 16, 2013, emergency expansion joint repairs caused traffic to back up for two miles on southbound I-5 near Spring Street. Ripping out and replacing expansion joints puts the kibosh on emergency procedures like this one.

Here’s how you can help an old highway get some relief this weekend:

• Plan ahead by taking an alternate route. If you can bypass Seattle altogether, I-405 is a great way to get around the slowdowns heading into downtown.  If not then good old Highway 99 will get you there.
• Before you leave, check the WSDOT Seattle Area traffic map. If you see red or black near I-90  that means it could take a while to squeeze through the construction closures.

Highway medics in action, replacing an expansion joint on northbound I-5 near Corson, April 2013.

With your help, we’ll get through these nine weekends of joint replacement treatments together.

No need to send cards or honk your horn in support while driving through my operating room. The best way to support me on my road to recovery is to carpool, plan ahead for traffic delays and, if you can swing it, take those alternate routes.

I’ll do my best to be a good patient and recover just as fast as I can.

Yours,












Interstate 5, downtown Seattle 

 by Claudia Bingham Baker

The tragic collision that took place on Monday, Dec. 16 on southbound Interstate 5 at Mounts Road reminds us all how fragile life is and how the status quo can change in an instant. Loss of life, injuries and property damage were the immediate results of yesterday’s collision. But the effects only started there. Most importantly, of course, were the victims, whose lives were irrevocably altered. First responders then came upon a complicated and dangerous scene. With a road strewn with debris and multiple fires burning, it was clear southbound I-5 had to close.

Thousands of motorists got caught in miles-long backups, and even people in surrounding communities were affected as they experienced floods of traffic trying to bypass the clogged highway.

It’s not often that a collision is severe enough to close an interstate for hours. Yesterday’s was. We are taking this opportunity to help explain our role in highway collisions.

Just after 10 a.m. the collision was reported. Several agencies, WSDOT included, began the simultaneous process of responding. The Washington State Patrol dispatched troopers, local fire stations dispatched fire engines and medic units, and we dispatched Incident Response crews. We also began alerting motorists via social media channels and variable-message-signs, which are the large electronic signs that span the highways and give information. Our closed-circuit TV cameras gave media and the public a first-hand look at the carnage on a freeway that had essentially closed itself from the widespread debris field and active vehicle fires. We sent highway advisories and posted the closure on our website.

Within 15 minutes of the reported collision, we had set up a detour for one lane of southbound I-5 traffic via the Mounts Road exit. Variable-message-signs as far north as the King County line and as far south as Tumwater warned motorists to avoid the area.

In responding to roadway collisions, our immediate role is to support the first responders while they care for the injured and take control of the scene. We do that by notifying the public of traffic impacts, creating detours and diverting traffic from the scene. During this incident, we performed that role while fire units extinguished the fires, Ecology responded to a fuel spill, the Washington State Patrol investigated the incident, and the deceased’s body was removed from the scene by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

We were able to open one southbound lane to traffic two hours after the incident occurred. As the day progressed, we performed as much concurrent roadway clean-up as we could, but we were unable to remove the burned semi until cleared by the responding authorities to do so.

The removal of the burned-out semi proved to be extremely difficult. The trailer was full of heavy steel. The shell, and thus the structural integrity, of the trailer was decimated by the fire. The steel cargo had to be unloaded before the trailer could be moved. Once emptied, crews used heavy equipment to start pushing the trailer onto the shoulder, but the friction reignited a fire. With the fire risk that high, crews chose to instead to remove the trailer by loading it onto a lowboy. Even then, the shell was very unstable and removal was approached deliberately and carefully to keep the trailer intact. Once the trailer was finally removed, crews cleaned and re-opened the road.

Because the road is built out of concrete pavement, rather than asphalt, the intense vehicle fires did not damage the roadway, therefore no pavement repairs were necessary.

The Dec. 16 collision at Mounts Road in Pierce County was about as difficult as highway collisions can get. It combined the challenges of multiple re-igniting fires, injuries, a fatality, tremendous amounts of debris, fuel spills, commercial and passenger vehicles, limited alternate routes, and difficult extractions from the freeway. We are sympathetic to those of you who were caught in the traffic backup. We know that while sitting in traffic, you missed important meetings and family gatherings, ran out of gas, had medical concerns and other misadventures during that very long day.

Some of you have asked us if this collision scene could have been cleared more quickly. In evaluating an event this size, the agencies involved will meet to debrief and evaluate the anatomy of the response with exactly that question in mind. Our goal is to always improve our service to the public. We will look for lessons we can apply toward that next response.

by guest blogger Heidi Sause

I met a man today who operates a concrete cruncher.

I know what you’re thinking, and I agree – that sounds like the coolest job ever!  Concrete crunchers (technically, concrete processors) are built for maximum-strength, precision demolition work. Look at the jaws on this baby!

Cruncher jaws!

There are currently three crunchers parked in the I-205 median in Salmon Creek. During the day, they look like sleeping dinosaurs. At night, they’re burning the midnight oil to bite, tear, bend, twist and yes, – crunch – an old northbound I-5 on-ramp to smithereens. After two nights of work, the demolition crew has already removed half the bridge deck.

Half a bridge

I guess I should pause to explain why we’re tearing a ramp to bits.

The demolition work is part of a congestion-relief project in Salmon Creek. We’ve enlisted the crunchers because we need to remove an old on-ramp to make room for the new NE 139th Street interchange that’s being built over the I-5/I-205 junction. Also, The Hulk was busy.

In this photo, you can see the construction of the new interchange peeking out beneath the partially demolished ramp.

Old and New

Clark County drivers are patiently navigating a series of nighttime closures while the crunchers work to safely and efficiently remove the ramp. Crews have already removed half the bridge deck, and will spend the next four nights removing the spans over the roadway and the columns next to the interstate. Be sure to check the project website for the closure schedule and detour maps if you’re heading this way.

Fun fact: 100% of the concrete, steel and wood bits removed from the bridge are being shipped to plants to be recycled in future projects. See, Dr. Banner? You’re not the only one who gets to smash and be green! *Rimshot*

Crane operators lift the 120-foot girder into place on the future NE 139th Street Interchange.

 By guest blogger Heidi Sause

It’s been a big week on the Salmon Creek Interchange Project. I’m talking high-flying, heavy-lifting, milestone-reaching BIG.

Now, I’m a hyper-enthusiastic transportation geek who’s prone to hyperbole even before reaching for my morning coffee – so you can imagine my delight when a 120-foot long concrete girder took flight on Tuesday.

Don’t get too excited (that’s my job); the flight was scheduled and carefully controlled by two masterful crane operators. But it was still a sight to see. Why? Because girder setting is one of the coolest things we do; it’s the point of construction when years of planning and engineering finally take shape in the field, and a reminder that we’re several 120-foot steps closer to a future with less traffic congestion in the busy Salmon Creek area.

The girders crews are placing right now form the backbone of the new Northeast 139th Street interchange, which will eventually carry drivers over the I-5/I-205 junction in the Salmon Creek neighborhood of northern Vancouver, Wash.

This week, our contractor installed 18 girders on the interchange bridge. They have another 16 scheduled for installation next week, which will bring the installed-girder tally up to 34. Thirty four down, 99 to go.  (Ninety-nine girders to place on the bridge, ninety-nine girders to place…)

When complete, the interchange will significantly alleviate some of the gridlock on Northeast 134th Street, the parallel road that runs just south of current construction work. The new interchange also gives drivers another option to access the interstates, and provides direct access to Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital and the Washington State University Vancouver campus (go Cougs!). 

We’re in the fourth and final stage of the $133 million congestion relief project, and on track to wrap things up in 2014. In the meantime, crews are in a frenzy of orchestrated activity: drilling bridge shafts, pouring concrete, realigning roads and – as enthusiastically mentioned – setting girders. 

Sign up for project email updates and check out our Flickr site to follow the interchange during the upcoming construction season – it’s going to be a doozy.

by guest blogger Jamie Holter

I recently celebrated my 50th birthday. Happy birthday to me, right? Thing is, I’m starting to feel my age and, frankly, I’m starting to look it, too. My genes are good. I come from a long line of rock-solid Cascade gravel. I’ve been told that I have held up longer than most highways my age across the country. Those who have cared for me, WSDOT maintenance crews, have done an excellent job of keeping me humming along. They are so attentive and watch over me constantly.

But like I said, I’m feeling old. I look old. Cracks, potholes, even entire sections of my body are simply falling apart, especially in one of the spots that matters most: the University District, where you have to look and feel your best. More than 250,000 vehicles a day –cars, trucks, vehicles with Boeing airplane parts, cars with studded tires – run roughshod over me. Yes, I know it’s my job. But still. I need a little lift. How can I be the backbone of my economy when I look and feel so…old.

But here’s the good news: In time for my 50th birthday (give or take a couple years)  in late spring, WSDOT is giving me the concrete version of Dermabrasion and a Botox treatment. Every Friday night for the next two months on southbound I-5 between NE 50th Street and Lakeview Boulevard, they’ll bring out an industrial strength diamond grinder to smooth my surface. They plan to take anywhere from a ½ inch to ¾ inch off the top.  This will get rid of the small cracks that can lead to big cracks, which means more costly face work later. In fact, if it gets too bad, not even major surgery will help. I could be looking at an entire emergency face transplant.  I don’t have the budget (or the coverage) for that.

They will also give the worst-of-the-worst sections a little Botox-like treatment. Between you and me, I have more than 32 concrete panels that must be completely replaced, but that’s all I can afford right now.

I’ve heard it’s a little painful on the ears. I mean, it’s noisy, but it’s only Friday nights. (Thanks, guys, for letting me sleep through the work week and doing all the work on Friday night when I get to sleep in on Saturday.) 

Yes, I realize that my siblings Alaskan Way and SR 520 Floating Bridge are in worse shape and more vulnerable than I am. That’s why they get to be replaced first. But I am hoping that this lift which will last about 10 years and can get me to my 60th birthday, when WSDOT plans to give me the billion dollar, full replacement that I really deserve after everything I’ve done for everybody.

I do plan to live to be 100, you know.

By guest blogger Jamie Holter

Crews will replace expansion joints on the I-5 ramps that connect West Seattle, Columbian Way and Spokane Street.

Don’t be surprised by construction. Know before you go in SODO.

This weekend, the first weekend in January, marks the official start of WSDOT’s 2013 Seattle area construction season. Construction crews will close the southbound I-5 ramp to the West Seattle Bridge and the westbound Columbian Way ramp to the West Seattle Bridge.

Traffic will be busier than usual as drivers wind their way to the West Seattle Bridge using the Viaduct, South Lander Street, Forest Street, First Avenue South and Fourth Avenue South.

During this weekend closure and the next 10 weekend closures, crews will replace 50-year old expansion joints, pieces of steel that run across all lanes and allow the bridge to bend and flex with heavy traffic and the freeze-thaw cycle.

 Each weekend closure will be a different ramp. Drivers who want to take the guess work out of construction closures can check the color-coded map (pdf 515 kb). Engineers have planned out each weekend closure between now and April.

Don’t be surprised by construction. Know before you go in SODO.

By guest blogger Jamie Holter

Crews smooth out fresh concrete with a concrete roller.

Interstate 5 is the backbone of the Washington state economy. In fact, given that it runs from Mexico to Canada, it could be considered the economic backbone of the West Coast.  But, that doesn’t really matter to the folks in Kent and Federal Way. They just expect the pavement to be drivable.

This week, WSDOT and Interstate Improvements begin a six month project that nibbles at the tip of the concrete iceberg.  Between October and late spring 2013, crews will replace 64 broken and cracked concrete panels and grind down more than three miles of rutted northbound interstate between Military Road South and S. 272nd Street in Kent. Crews will close lanes overnight Monday through Friday.

People don’t get too excited about pavement. When drivers use I-5, they focus on their destination not the concrete journey that gets them there. But we care about concrete, a lot.  Without these repairs, potholes grow larger, those jarring bumps get harder and that pooling water in wheel ruts on the interstate grow wider and longer.

In short, without these repairs, the road falls apart faster and faster.

We don’t have the money to fix all of I-5, but this triage approach will get a better driving surface, a safer road and a longer lasting road. Thank you for your patience while you drive.

By guest blogger Claudia Bingham Baker

On budget and ahead of schedule – those words describe our  I-5: 48th Street to M Street Concrete Rehabilitation project.

Crews pour fast-curing concrete into an excavated 12’x15’ space to replace a broken concrete panel. All work was done at night to minimize traffic impacts.

Since mid-July, crews have been busy removing and replacing 76 concrete roadway panels on northbound and southbound Interstate 5 in Tacoma. The 76 panels were cracked and broken from 50 years of daily pounding by cars and trucks. Despite the best efforts of maintenance crews to keep concrete panels intact, these panels needed a fresh start.  Crews used upwards of 38 concrete-truck-loads of fast-curing concrete to replace the 12’x15’ panels over the last few months to get the job done. Didn’t see the work happening, you say?  That’s not surprising because all of it occurred at night to minimize impacts to the traveling public. Crews also ground over five miles of I-5 in addition to replacing the concrete panels, which extends the life of the concrete and provides drivers a smoother ride. 

You may be wondering about all the other concrete panels out there that didn’t get this fresh start.  Their turn is coming, when two more projects rehabilitate I-5 in a big way. The first project will rehab I-5 and build HOV lanes between M Street and Portland Avenue, and the second project will realign and rebuild I-5 through the SR 16 interchange and build an HOV bridge and ramps through Nalley Valley.

Crews installed steel girders over southbound I-5  the nights of Feb. 10-11, 2012. The girders  support new flyover ramps at the I-5/SR 18 interchange.

by guest blogger Erica Taylor

What do Olympic trials, a multinational sporting event and the world’s largest private softwood timberland owner have in common? Believe it or not, they’re all based in Federal Way. This not-so-sleepy town of Federal Way hosted the 2012 Olympic Dive Trials, the 1990 Goodwill Games and is home to Weyerhaeuser, the world’s largest private owner of softwood timberland.

Even if you’re not an elite athlete, and don’t need timber, you may take I-5 or SR 18 through Federal Way and wonder how long you’ll have to sit in traffic trying to get to Wild Waves. Wonder no more. Thanks to a partnership with local, state and federal officials, WSDOT is ready turn over a new leaf at this interchange. Actually, WSDOT is taking out the old cloverleaf ramps and replacing them with new flyover ramps. The flyover ramp is a newer design that can efficiently handle the amount of traffic at this interchange and will turn the former white-knuckle weave into an easy merge.


The I-5/SR 18 interchange is more than a stop on the Olympic road to London; it’s also a major transportation corridor for commerce and for local commuters. With 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles using each ramp daily, the previously state-of-the-art cloverleaf ramp design from the 1960s was becoming a traffic headache. Add to that a consistently growing population – Federal Way has grown from 67,304 residents in 1990 to 89,306 residents in 2010 – and WSDOT and local officials agreed that something needed to be done to revamp the ramps. After much consideration, the new flyover ramp emerged as the best option.

Construction on the first phase of improvements to the I-5/SR 18/SR 161 “triangle” interchange began in summer 2010, and crews plan to wrap up work ahead of schedule later this year. New ramps between I-5 and SR 18 will open July 16 and July 23, with other ramp improvements scheduled to open this fall. WSDOT even has plans for a next phase of construction in the area. Though that work doesn’t have a start date yet, local officials have clear ideas of what they would like to see improved.

Whether you’re transporting goods from Washington to Oregon, headed to work, or maybe just considering a trip to Wild Waves (on that one day a year that it’s warm enough to go) the new flyover ramps will make the SR 18/I-5 interchange safer and more efficient for everyone.