That collective sigh of relief you're hearing is drivers no longer having to navigate around weekend-long I-5 lane closures through Seattle.
Over the weekend, crews wrapped up Revive I-5 in Seattle. That is the last of the weekend-long lane reductions for the year in the area.
But work on I-5 is far from over.
For starters, an expansion joint near Olive Way was not installed correctly. Crews will need to close a lane or two over the course of one or two weekends to complete the work. This work is not expected to have as much of an impact on traffic as the weekend-long closures, but it will still be felt by drivers. The work hasn't been scheduled; if it isn't done before Thanksgiving, it will occur next year.
There is approximately a year left of other work that will require overnight lane reductions, but not for days on end. Crews will replace concrete panels, grinding the roadway to eliminate ruts, and other work. This work will last until Thanksgiving as weather permits, and pick up again in the winter or next spring.
And that is only the beginning. According to the state's 10-year draft plan, there are more than 25 planned projects on I-5 in King County alone. That includes more than a dozen paving and expansion joint projects and safety and maintenance projects.
Work on I-5 continues as portions of the freeway near 60 years old. Most portions of I-5 have only had routine maintenance. There isn't a full schedule for all the work needed. The state will prioritize it based on conditions and available funding.
