[Forwarded in the community interest by the Department of Communications]

The delicate nature of the Tacoma bridge demolition work requires crews to implement a month-long traffic revision on southbound I-5 to keep drivers safe. If the weather cooperates, drivers will see the new configuration Thursday morning.

This is not the big shift scheduled for April when southbound traffic will be moved into the regular, currently vacant, northbound lanes. Northbound traffic is already shifted to the right onto new lanes constructed as part of WSDOT’s I-5 widening project through Tacoma between 38th Street and Pacific Avenue.

Tomorrow’s less-radical shift allows crews to place a temporary support beam in the southbound lanes — fully surrounded by concrete barrier * beneath the Yakima Avenue Bridge that partially spans the freeway. The support beam will serve to stabilize the bridge as crews continue to demolish it with high-powered hydraulic breakers and shears.

Crews tonight — weather permitting — will re-stripe a short stretch of southbound I-5 to shift mainline traffic to the left of the temporary support beam. To re-stripe and install the temporary support beam, crews will close the three primary on-ramps from downtown Tacoma (SR 7, I-705, Pacific Avenue) to southbound I-5 from 11 tonight to 6 a.m. Thursday and between 11 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday. Drivers will be detoured to the Portland Avenue on-ramp.

The traffic revision includes a barrier that stretches a short distance through the half-mile work zone and separates southbound I-5 traffic from vehicles merging to southbound I-5 from downtown. The barrier abbreviates the time and distance drivers will have to maneuver from the mainline to the exit lanes for SR 16 and South 38th Street. The same goes for drivers merging from downtown, who will have less time to move onto the southbound mainline.

Drivers are advised to use extra caution through this work zone as narrower lanes and shoulders are expected to create a tighter, less comfortable commute. The new configuration also could cause some additional congestion during commute hours.

WSDOT is demolishing three bridges over I-5 in Tacoma as part of a project to widen the freeway, add new lanes that eliminate much of the weaving traffic on northbound I-5, and create space for future HOV lanes. For more information on this project, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/PierceCountyHOV/I5_HOV_S48th_Pacific/.

CONTACT: Jamie Swift, WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2703