Southbound I-5 To Close Late Friday In Tacoma

TACOMA, WA — Drivers heading south through Tacoma late Friday and early Saturday will want to consider alternate routes to Interstate 5 as all southbound lanes close for work on the new East L Street Bridge.

The Washington State Department of Transportation plans to close all southbound lanes of I-5 at the Portland Avenue exit at 11 p.m. Friday, detouring traffic onto westbound State Route 509, southbound Interstate 705, then back onto I-5. During the closure, crews will install a large sign bridge and remove temporary form work from the East L Street Bridge.

Two ramps southbound on-ramps will also be closed, starting at 10 p.m. Friday: The Portland Avenue/27th Street ramp and the State Route 167 ramp. WSDOT plans to have the lanes reopened by 6 a.m. Saturday, followed by the ramps at 7 a.m.

Here is the schedule:

11 p.m. Friday, July 15 to 6 a.m. Saturday, July 16

• All lanes of southbound I-5 will close at exit 135 to Portland Avenue. Drivers will detour to westbound SR 509 to southbound I-705 and back to southbound I-5.

10 p.m. Friday, July 15 to 7 a.m. Saturday, July 16

• Portland Avenue/27th Street on-ramp to southbound I-5 will close.
• Southbound State Route 167 ramp to southbound I-5 will close.

Officials said travelers driving south from King County may want to take an alternate route, like State Route 18, State Route 167, or State Route 512 to avoid the detour and potential delays.