Several ramp and roadway closures scheduled next week at the Interstate 5/state Route 16 interchange area will culminate in a new ramp opening next Saturday morning for eastbound SR 16 drivers headed to northbound I-5. The new ramp is one of many improvements being completed in WSDOT’s I-5/SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project.
Currently, motorists on eastbound SR 16 must merge with other traffic as they enter the northbound I-5 collector/distributor that runs parallel to mainline northbound I-5. The new ramp will give motorists a dedicated lane on the collector/distributor, eliminating the need to merge with other traffic.
Another notable change with the new ramp is that the eastbound SR 16 split to northbound and southbound I-5 will occur further west than it occurs now, so motorists will need to move into the correct lane sooner.
The ramp opening is dependent on several successful nights of striping and paving work. Closures scheduled next week include:
11 p.m. through 4 a.m. Tuesday, July 8 through Wednesday, July 9
- Closing all lanes of eastbound SR 16 at South Union Avenue. Detour via South Union Avenue.
- Closing South Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
Thursday, July 10
9 p.m.
- Closing northbound I-5 exit (#133) to City Center.
11 p.m.
- Closing all lanes of eastbound SR 16 at South Union Avenue. Detour via South Union Avenue.
- Closing South Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
Friday, July 11
4 a.m.
- Reopening eastbound SR 16 and South Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
6 a.m.
- Reopening northbound I-5 exit to City Center.
10 p.m.
- Closing all lanes of eastbound SR 16 at South Union Avenue.
· Closing South Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
· Closing southbound I-5 exit (#132) to South 38th Street. The southbound I-5 on-ramp to westbound SR 16 will remain open.
Saturday, July 12
12:01 a.m.
- Closing northbound I-5 exit to City Center (#133).
5:30 a.m.
- Reopening northbound I-5 exit to City Center
7:30 a.m.
- Reopening southbound I-5 exit to South 38th Street.
- Weather-permitting, opening new ramp from eastbound SR 16 to northbound I-5 collector/distributor. The 7:30 a.m. reopening time is later than usual construction closures, so southbound I-5 motorists may experience some delays approaching the exit to South 38th Street.
Hyperlinks in this release
I-5/SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project web page:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/piercecountyhov/sr16_ebnalleyvalley/
