Revive I-5: Preserving a vital freeway

Project overview

Dozens of preservation projects are planned to revive Interstate 5 in King and Snohomish counties. Washington’s main freeway was built in the 1960s and needs major preservation and renovation work. Over the coming years, Revive I-5 projects will include pavement repair and full replacement, expansion joints, and seismic work to strengthen bridges against earthquakes. While many projects are included in the draft plan; others are not funded at this time. Maps below show the various projects.

Timeline

Now into 2030s

Funding

Each project is individually funded. Costs vary.

What to expect

You can get information about our four active projects here:

I-5 NB Seneca to SR 520 - Mobility Improvements

I-5 Duwamish River to S. Lucile St. - Concrete Pavement Rehab

I-5/NB Marine View Dr to SR 529 - Corridor & Interchange Improvements

I-5/Snohomish River Bridge (BN RR) - Painting

We also have a major project in Seattle starting in 2024:

I-5/Yesler Way to Northgate Vic - Pavement, Deck, Joints and Drainage

In general during construction of the various projects, people can expect nighttime lane, ramp and directional closures, as well as weekend-long construction that may include lane reductions, directional closures and full-time lane closures that last several days.

See the "related links" tab for future projects.

A map showing WSDOT's 10-year draft projects plan covering 2024 to 2034.

View full image

Our draft 10-year plan for I-5 in the Seattle area includes more than two dozen projects.

History and background

When the Seattle section of I-5 was constructed in the 1960s, designers expected it to last about 25 years before needing major work. The freeway held up well for more than 50 years, but by the mid-2010s major preservation projects became necessary.

There was no freeway when I-5 was first built, so it was relatively easy to work with limited effects to traffic. Now I-5 is a lifeline that people and commerce count on every day. Because we can’t simply close it for years to rebuild it, we are creating many different projects to revive it one section at a time.

A map showing WSDOT's Draft 10-year Plan for projects along I-5 from 2024 to 2034. — All projects shown on these maps are part of the effort to revive and rehabilitate I-5 in the Seattle area. The Draft 10-Year
Plan map shows projects that are either in construction or waiting for approved funds to be allocated between 2024 and 2034.

A map showing unfunded projects on I-5 in the Seattle area. — This map highlights a couple dozen more Unfunded I-5 Projects. These are critical for the effort to Revive I-5 and will be
added to the plan once they have funding sources.

Revive I-5: Preserving a vital freeway

Project overview

What to expect

History and background

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