Blog

This two-year rehabilitation project replaced 56 expansion joints and repaved 1.25 miles of southbound I-5 between I-90 and Spokane Street. This project is one of dozens that make up Revive I-5, which will rehabilitate the I-5 corridor in the King County area in the next 10 years.

Work on this project is complete.  Flange Rubber

I-5 - SB S Spokane St to I-90 W-S Ramp - Deck Overlay & Expansion Joints - Complete March 2023 | WSDOT

During 2021-22 southbound I-5 had weekend-long lane closures and night closures between I-90 and Spokane Street so crews could replace 56 expansion joints on the freeway and on- or off-ramps. In 2021 we repaved this 1.25-mile section of the freeway and replaced several expansion joints.

Expansion joints run across the width of the freeway allowing sections to expand and contract with weather and to flex under the weight of heavy vehicles. It takes about 55 hours to chip out and remove a series of old joints, place the new one and allow concrete to cure around it. Replacing these expansion joints during scheduled closures reduces the chances a joint will break and require an emergency closure.

This was the first repaving of the 1.25-mile section of southbound I-5 between I-90 and Spokane Street. The freeway originally was paved more than 55 years ago. After all this time is has ruts from vehicle traffic. To repave, crews ground off the higher spots, then poured a new layer of concrete for the new driving surface. This improves safety by helping to prevent water from pooling.

No additional information available at this time.

Tom Pearce WSDOT communications 206-440-4696 tom.pearce@wsdot.wa.gov

In 2022, speeding continued to be a top reason for work zone crashes.

Each year about 670 people are killed nationally in highway work zones. In 2022, Washington had six fatal work zone crashes on state roads.

95% of people hurt in work zones are drivers, their passengers or passing pedestrians, not just our road crews.

    Sign up for email updates

I-5 - SB S Spokane St to I-90 W-S Ramp - Deck Overlay & Expansion Joints - Complete March 2023 | WSDOT

Rubber Bellow Specification Subscribe to customized emails to help you know before you go. Receive current traffic conditions, mountain pass reports, construction updates and more.