More On Big Weekend Lane Closures On I-5 In Everett This Friday – Sunday

Brace yourselves for what may be another weekend of traffic on all of the surface streets in Everett, Washington this weekend. Here’s the update from WSDOT:

Emergency repairs to about 40 concrete panels on northbound Interstate 5 will require lane reductions in Everett beginning Friday, Jan. 20, and continue through the weekend.

Starting at 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews will reduce northbound I-5 to one lane between the Broadway/41st Street off-ramp and the Snohomish River Bridge (mileposts 192-195). All on-ramps and off-ramps in the work zone will be open except the northbound I-5 off-ramp to Marine View Drive.

Drivers heading north on I-5 or westbound US 2 through Everett are urged to adjust their travel plans this weekend by seeking alternate routes or allowing extra time to get through the work zone. WSDOT expects to complete the work by 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 23.

Last year, contractor Acme Concrete Paving completed replacement of about 160 of 200 damaged concrete panels. Work was suspended in December because of winter weather.

When one damaged panel in the center lane south of the Snohomish River Bridge came loose and lifted about 3 inches Thursday, Jan. 12, WSDOT decided to complete this work as soon as possible. WSDOT maintenance crews removed the loose concrete and filled the hole with asphalt as a temporary repair. It wasn’t feasible to patch the remaining panels to be sure they would hold until spring, when the contractor was scheduled to finish replacing the panels.

“With a favorable weather window in Everett this weekend, WSDOT and Acme Paving agreed to mobilize their crews and finish replacing the concrete panels now, so we don’t have any more emergency lane closures,” WSDOT Project Team Lead Cody Filley said.

Later this spring, Acme Paving will complete this rehabilitation project by replacing bridge expansion joints on northbound I-5 north of 41st Street, at Pacific and Hewitt avenues, and at US 2. That work will also require overnight and weekend lane reductions, with traffic reduced to two lanes. WSDOT will schedule a date for that phase of work in the coming weeks.

Travelers can get real-time traffic information on their mobile phones with the WSDOT traffic app and by following the WSDOT traffic Twitter feed.