Travelers along I-5 will soon say goodbye to cracks, ruts and potholes and hello to a smoother ride in northern Clark County.
Beginning Tuesday, July 6 the Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor, Granite Construction Company, will start work to rehabilitate a nearly 2-mile stretch of southbound I-5 between Woodland and La Center.
“Rehabilitating our existing infrastructure isn’t exciting work, but it’s critical,” said Mike Briggs, WSDOT project engineer. “Between cracks, rutting and potholes, the concrete panels along this section of highway have seen better days. While folks may experience travel delays this summer, preserving our roadways helps to ensure we keep people, goods and services moving along this important interstate.”
Work on this $7.6 million project will start with grinding the top layer of asphalt off sections of the highway. Crews working on the project will then remove and replace several cracked and broken concrete panels underneath the driving surface. They will also repair sections of damaged concrete panels, then overlay the full width of the freeway with new asphalt pavement.
What to expect during I-5 construction?
- To minimize traffic backups and delays, most of the construction work will occur weeknights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., with single and double lane closures and occasional rolling slowdowns. For increased safety, the speed limit within the work zone will be temporarily reduced to 55 mph until construction is complete.
- During work to remove sections of failing pavement and rebuild the roadway, crews will reduce southbound I-5 to two lanes of travel, around-the-clock, for 21 consecutive days. This single lane closure, currently scheduled to occur sometime in August, may cause significant delays, especially during peak travel times.
- To minimize delays and enhance work zone safety, crews will install a temporary Smart Work Zone System. Using sensor technology, the system gives travelers real-time traffic information by analyzing roadway conditions. This helps increase safety and allows people to make safer, more efficient driving choices as they approach a work zone.
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