WSDOT Begins I-5 Repavement in February

I-5 users, traffic is going to suck even worse beginning in February when the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) works on the stretch of freeway between Roanoke St. and NE 59th St. What’s more, if you live around I-5, you can expect noisy nightly weekend repairs when they grind down the deteriorating pavement and replace it. According to this handy flyer from WSDOT:

Southbound Interstate 5 in the University District is a mosaic of wheel ruts, cracked and broken concrete. It can be a rough, loud and bumpy ride, but relief is on the way.  In February and March, crews will smooth the rough spots by replacing 5,500 square feet of deteriorating pavement, and shaving up to 3/4 inches off the top of the freeway.

This noisy work is scheduled during winter months when neighbors can shut out construction noise by closing their windows.

Work hours and schedule

• Nine weekend nights in February and March
• Friday and Saturday nights
• 10 p.m. until 10 a.m. the following morning
• Occasional overnight work during the week

What can drivers expect?

• Concrete grinding and sawcutting on southbound I-5 between Roanoke Street and NE 59th Street.
• Most of the work will occur Friday and Saturday nights.
• Southbound I-5 drivers will experience delays between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. on the weekends.
• Crews will return in spring 2013 to restripe I-5 with high-visibility plastic-like material which lasts longer than paint.

What can neighbors expect?

• Concrete repair work is very noisy. The pavement grinder uses diamond cutters to slice into the pavement which creates a high-pitched noise.
• Additional on-site machinery sounds like a low-flying helicopter.
• Crews will work as quickly as possible to minimize nighttime disruptions.
• When possible, crews will use noise shields to reduce the sound of construction noise.
• In spring 2013 crews will return to repaint lane stripes on northbound and southbound I-5 between NE 117th Street and E. Roanoke Street with a durable, high-visibility plastic-like material.

Contact information
Noise concerns 24/7: 206-440-4DOT. Free earplugs are available upon request. Please call 206-440-4699.