TACOMA – Due to rapidly changing weather, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will close the Pacific Avenue and State Route 7 on-ramps to southbound I-5 beginning as early as 7 p.m. Friday, April 27 to perform temporary striping. The closures will remain until 11:59 p.m. Friday.
- Pacific Avenue to southbound I-5
Travelers attempting to access southbound I-5/westbound SR 16 from Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma will detour to the A Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 and routed to Portland Avenue to gain access to southbound I-5.
- SR 7 to southbound I-5
Drivers will detour via SR 509 and I-705.
These ramp closures allow crews to perform necessary striping as they continue to work towards a major traffic shift next week. If the weather cooperates, contractor crews building direct-connect HOV lanes on Interstate 5 and State Route 16 in Tacoma will close ramps and lanes during overnight hours on Tuesday, May 1, to shift all lanes of southbound I-5 onto a new temporary lane configuration.
Tuesday, May 1
- Southbound I-5 exit #132A to South 38th Street (Tacoma Mall) will close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday, May 2.
- Southbound I-5 will be reduced to a single lane between Delin Street and South 48th Street from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday
On Wednesday morning when the lanes reopen, travelers on southbound I-5 will be shifted southeast immediately adjacent to northbound I-5. Barrier will separate the two directions of traffic.
Travelers on eastbound SR 16 and in downtown Tacoma headed to southbound I-5 will also experience a change in their normal route.
- Drivers heading to southbound I-5 from I-705, SR 7 and Pacific Avenue will be directed onto the South 38th Street exit, and will rejoin southbound I-5 near South 48th Street via the collector/distributor.
- Eastbound SR 16 travelers headed to the Tacoma Mall will not be able to exit to westbound South 38th Street. Drivers will be directed via southbound I-5 and exit at South 56th Street, and will be routed back north to westbound South 38th Street.
This traffic shift creates a new workzone so crews can begin demolishing and rebuilding southbound I-5 at the SR 16 interchange. The temporary configuration is expected to remain in place through 2018.
Additional ramp and lane closures for the week of April 30:
Monday, April 30
- Northbound I-5 exit to northbound SR 167 will close from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday.
- Northbound I-5 exit to Portland Avenue will close from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday.
Tuesday, May 1
- See closures posted above.
Friday, May 4
- All lanes of northbound I-5 will detour through the Portland Avenue interchange and across the new Puyallup River Bridge from 11:59 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday. Law enforcement will be at the Portland Avenue intersection to assist with traffic control.
- Eastbound SR 16 ramp to northbound I-5 will close from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday, May 5.
- Northbound SR 7 and Pacific Avenue on-ramps to southbound I-5 will close from 11:59 p.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday.
Saturday, May 5
- All lanes of southbound I-5 will be detoured to northbound I-705 and SR 509, to southbound I-705 and back to southbound I-5 from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday.
- Eastbound SR 16 ramp to northbound I-5 will close from 10 p.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday, May 6.
Signed detours will be in place. Additional information on HOV construction can be found online at www.TacomaTraffic.com.