New Tacoma HOV Lanes Open This Month On Interstate 5

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — New carpool lanes will open later this month on Interstate 5 through Tacoma, marking a major milestone for a major stretch of road work in Pierce County. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, the HOV lanes will open by late August, which officials heralded as "surreal" and "a monumental moment for Pierce County transportation."

Since 2019, WSDOT work in the area has required closures, lane shifts and new configurations as crews widened the freeway, constructed a new Puyallup River Bridge, installed new lighting, and repaved roads. Officials said that opening the new HOV lanes was one of the biggest remaining pieces of the puzzle. With the new lanes in Fife and Tacoma, the interstate's HOV system will be connected between State Route 16 in Gig Harbor and I-5 in King County.

Also opening this month is the newly replaced East L Street Bridge, which spans I-5 in Tacoma, and will now feature more vehicle lanes, dedicated bike lanes and wider sidewalks.

While the majority of the work is one, there are still a few things left to do after the HOV lanes open, including:

• Levy fortification
• Removing old bridge piers
• Completing the public art installation on East 28th Street
• Work to add dedicated left turn lanes on Portland Avenue under I-5
• Some landscaping and river habitat restoration
• Install final striping and recessed pavement markings on I-5
• Rebuild the SR 167 on-ramp to southbound I-5

Most of the work is scheduled to take place overnight on both sides of the Puyallup River, and a few late night closures will be necessary for crews to complete final striping and install permanent markings. WSDOT also plans to remove the temporary 50 mph speed limit in place near the work zones after installing new 60 mph signs.

Read more about what's opening in August on the WSDOT Blog.