TACOMA – This fall, design-builder Skanska will modify the existing Interstate 5/South 38th Street interchange to allow right- and left-turns at the top of the loop ramp. To enable this change, the South 38th Street east ramp will close to all traffic as early as October 12 for 30 days. Closing this ramp will prohibit southbound I-5 and eastbound State Route 16 travelers from reaching South 38th Street east. The following detour will be in place:
- Eastbound SR 16 drivers going to South 38th Street east or west will detour to South 56th Street to northbound I-5 to exit 132.
- Southbound I-5 drivers going to South 38th Street east will detour to South 56th Street to northbound I-5 to exit 132.
The southbound I-5 exit 132A to South 38th Street west will not be affected.
Once work is complete in early November, South 38th Street will have a new traffic signal that allows eastbound and westbound access to all drivers. This temporary configuration will remain in place through the end of the project.
Future HOV lanes go into use for temporary alignment
As early as Oct. 12, eastbound SR 16 drivers headed to southbound I-5 will also temporarily relocate to the newly-built SR 16 HOV lanes. This change will affect South Sprague Avenue travelers going to southbound I-5. South Sprague Avenue drivers will use the following detour:
- South Sprague Avenue to southbound I-5 will detour to westbound SR 16, South Union Avenue and back to eastbound SR 16 to continue on southbound I-5.
The South Sprague Avenue to southbound I-5 detour will be in place until the South 38th Street east loop ramp reconfiguration is complete.
These temporary lane configurations allow for the rebuilding of the SR 16 and southbound I-5 exits to South 38th Street. This work is part of the I-5/SR 16 HOV Structure and Connections project.
Visit the Tacomatraffic.com web page for updated HOV construction information. Real-time traveler information is available from the WSDOT app and by following the WSDOT regional Twitter feed.