Over the last 13 months, the closure of state Route 506 over Interstate 5 near Toledo has forced people to take the long way home.
The overpass bridge was closed after an oversized load damaged the structure in July 2021.
But the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) assures those long commutes will soon come to an end, as the $833,000 project to replace the overpass is scheduled for completion this fall.
SB Structures LLC, working for WSDOT, will continue work associated with replacing the southbound span of state Route 506 starting Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Throughout September, travelers will see nighttime, intermittent single-lane closures along both directions of Interstate 5, with a large portion of the work occurring during the day along the state Route 506/Toledo-Vader Road overpass, according to WSDOT.
Additional nighttime full closures of the interstate in mid-September will be needed to lift new bridge girders into place.
“Each bridge girder weighs approximately 120,000 pounds and is critical for supporting the deck of the new structure,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Paul Mason. “To ensure everyone’s safety during demolition and bridge girder setting, all lanes of I-5 will close overnight at the overpass.”
The schedule of planned delays and closures, as of Friday, is below:
• Mondays through Fridays from 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.: Drivers may encounter nighttime, intermittent single lane closures in both directions of I-5 at the state Route 506/Toledo-Vader Road overpass. Travelers should expect delays through the work zone.
• Tuesday, Sept. 6 from 8:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 7: All lanes of southbound I-5 will be reduced to a single lane and detoured through the off-and on-ramps at Exit 60 for state Route 506/Toledo-Vader Road.
• Mid-September: I-5 will be closed overnight to set bridge girders. All lanes of southbound I-5 will be reduced to a single lane and detoured through the off- and on-ramps at state Route 506/Toledo-Vader Road. A single left lane of northbound I-5 will also close.
WSDOT will announce the dates of the overnight closures planned for mid-September once they are confirmed.
The work is being scheduled at night when traffic volumes are lower to help reduce travel delays, according to WSDOT.
Travelers can get real-time information on road conditions via WSDOT’s mobile app or https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/
