Work begins this week on the second of three projects to rebuild and improve the Interstate 5/State Route 16 interchange, which carries more than 131,000 vehicles per day through one of the state’s busiest crossroads. The two-and-a-half-year, $115 million project will replace the existing eastbound structure spanning the Nalley Valley and complete the SR 16/Sprague Avenue interchange. The first portion of the interchange overhaul, the westbound Nalley Valley viaduct, opened in June.
During construction, drivers will experience traffic adjustments similar to the Westbound Nalley Valley project. Motorists will see realigned and narrowed lanes, night lane and ramp closures and limited closures of all lanes on eastbound SR 16 when cranes lift girders for the new viaduct.
Like its sister westbound viaduct, the new eastbound viaduct will serve all traffic and is a precursor to future HOV lanes that will be built through the Nalley Valley in 2020. Mowat Construction of Woodinville was awarded the construction contract with the lowest bid of $74.7 million. The combined $115 million project is paid for with state gas-tax increases in 2003 and 2005, as well as federal stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The I-5/SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project is part of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT’s) Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program, adding 70 HOV lane miles on state highways in Pierce County. Those interested in following construction progress on the eastbound project are encouraged to subscribe to WSDOT’s Eastbound Nalley Valley email update service.
For more information, click on the following links:
— WSDOT Communications orfeedback@wsdot.wa.gov
— I-5/SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/PierceCountyHOV/SR16_EBNalleyValley/
— Nickel funds http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Funding/Nickel/
— Partnership funds http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Funding/2005/
— ARRA funds http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/funding/stimulus/
— Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/piercecountyhov/
— Eastbound Nalley Valley email update https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOT/subscriber/new?topic_id=WADOT_261
