Why is WSDOT rehabilitating concrete pavement on I-5?
The pavement on I-5 through Thurston and Pierce counties is more than 50 years old, doubling its expected 20-year design life. WSDOT is replacing concrete panels and installing more than 56,000 dowel bars to support the roadway on 25.5 miles of I-5 between Martin Way in Lacey and 48th Street in Tacoma to create a smoother driving surface. I-5 is made up of a grid of concrete panels. Each panel is a slab of concrete that is 15 feet long, 12 feet wide and nine inches thick. In the worst areas we are removing and replacing the panels. In other areas we are retrofitting worn dowel bars that support the roadway. View photos of the type of work that will occur during the project and issues that will be repaired. Crews are also grinding up to 3/4 inch off sections of the roadway to create a smoother surface. Find out more about the construction by reading the project fact sheet (312 KB). What is WSDOT doing to keep traffic moving on I-5? • Working at night to avoid disrupting the morning and
