A bigger and better bridge over I-5 made its debut on June 28, opening to traffic with a promise to improve travel in this busy freight corridor.
The four-lane Wapato Way East Bridge and new State Route 99 roundabout replace the nearby 70th Avenue East Bridge, which is now closed to vehicle traffic.
Opening the new bridge and roundabout to traffic is a significant milestone in the Puget Sound Gateway Program’s SR 167 Completion Project, which will eventually extend SR 167 between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma.
Although drivers can now use the Wapato Way East Bridge, construction will continue through the summer to extend the nearby Interurban Trail and connect it to a 12-foot-wide pedestrian and bike-friendly path on the bridge. In the short term, people on foot and wheels will be able to cross I-5 using the old 70th Avenue East Bridge.
Benefits of the I-5 bridge replacement project:
- The Wapato Way East Bridge doubles the capacity of the two-lane bridge it replaces.
- The multi-lane roundabout on SR 99 reduces delays for drivers and freight haulers heading to and from the Port of Tacoma.
- Improvements make it easier to walk and bike in the area, including a paved path on the bridge, 400 feet of new Interurban Trail and a half-mile of new sidewalks.
- Clears the way for the Washington State Department of Transportation to remove the old 70th Avenue East Bridge, which was in the path of future SR 167 construction.
The next stage of SR 167 construction starts in 2022 and builds a new 2-mile highway between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma with a new paved path alongside it.
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