Get ready to hit the brakes. Two huge construction projects at both ends of Interstate 5’s route through Pierce County will impact traffic this summer, according to the state Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Near the King County line, the state Route 167 Completion Project is building a toll road between I-5 and state Route 509. As part of that project, a new bridge needs to be built over I-5 and another demolished.

A few miles north of the Thurston County line, new HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes and interchanges are under construction near Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Toll Road girders

The tolled expressway under construction that will link I-5 with the Port of Tacoma in 2026 has been impacting drivers on surface streets along the 2-mile-long route for more than a year.

The $376 million project will eventually connect with the current end of SR 167 at North Meridian Avenue as part of WSDOT’s $2.38 billion Puget Sound Gateway Program.

In late summer or early fall, the project will require complete overnight closures of I-5 in both directions as crews set girders for a new bridge over the interstate and demolish the old 70th Avenue bridge, according to WSDOT. The closures will take place over four consecutive weekends. I-5 will close between state Route 18 and 54th Avenue East. Ramps will also be closed.

During the first two weekends, 15 223-feet-long girders that will span all northbound and southbound lanes of I-5 will be put in place.. The girders will support the bridge that carries the new SR 167 expressway over I-5.

During the second two weekends, crews will demolish the decommissioned 70th Avenue bridge over I-5.

New bridges needed for the project are being built over Hylebos Creek just north of the Fife curve. They have been sending drivers on swerving paths since early 2023.

The inner portions of the bridges are complete. Since December, crews have been building the outer portions. The new extra-wide bridges are needed for ramps to and from the expressway which will merge and diverge in the area of the bridges.

As traffic is moved back on to the new bridges, occasional lane closures will occur for lane striping, WSDOT said. The bridges should be completely finished in summer with the creek flowing below them.

HOV lanes

Near JBLM, crews are rebuilding the Steilacoom-DuPont Road (Exit 119) interchange and extending I-5’s HOV lanes to Mounts Road. The $233 million project began in 2023 and will be completed in 2026.

The good news is that most of the daytime work is being done adjacent to I-5 and will not impact traffic. However, drivers in the wee hours should expect to see shifted lanes, overnight lane and ramp closures, reduced speed limits and potential long-term ramp closures.

Nighttime closures will begin immediately following Memorial Day weekend.

Two lanes of northbound I-5 at Steilacoom-DuPont Road will close 10:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. nightly, Tuesday through Thursday to May 31.

One lane of southbound I-5 between Center Drive and Berkeley Street will close 8 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. nightly, Tuesday through Thursday to May 31 and 9:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. each Friday night to May 31.

Crews will close northbound and southbound I-5 on- and off-ramps at Mounts Road, Center Drive, Steilacoom-DuPont Road, and 41st Division Drive at night. The ramps will close no earlier than 7 p.m. and will reopen by 4:30 a.m. the next morning.

WSDOT reminds drivers to slow down, put down cell phones and keep their eyes on the road in construction zones.

With construction season upon us, The News Tribune will examine the state of Pierce County’s roads and streets over the next several weeks as part of its In the Spotlight initiative.