Nightly Repairs Coming To Interstate 5, Starting Monday

SEATTLE — State transportation crews are preparing for several nights of work to repair lingering damage from the historic heatwave of last summer. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, contractors will begin work Monday, Jan. 31, to replace concrete panels located along Interstate 5 between Tukwila and Shoreline.

WSDOT said several days of extreme heat caused the pavement to expand and crack in several areas, which crews previously patched as a temporary measure.

Various lane closures will be necessary, depending on the location of the damage, but drivers should expect some closures will begin to close as early as 8 p.m, officials said. According to WSDOT, some closures may require crews to reduce traffic down to one lane by midnight, but all lanes will reopen in time for each morning commute.

During the lane reductions, crews will cut and excavate damaged sections of placement and pour new concrete. WSDOT said approximately 46 concrete panels were in need of replacement, including many in the Shoreline area.

Residents can check on closure locations using WSDOT's live travel map. Some work may need to be rescheduled if rain returns to the forecast.