Construction crews today began setting concrete girders at the northern convergence of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205, marking a milestone for the Salmon Creek Interchange Project.
Workers will set 34 girders, between 110 and 150 feet long, to form the backbone of a new bridge at the interchange, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The end result will carry Northeast 139th Street up and over the two freeways, adding a new east-west corridor through the congested area.
The work will mean temporary short-term closures for drivers on 139th Street between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., according to WSDOT. Closures will continue through next Wednesday, March 20. The road will be closed for 10-minute intervals while the girders are delivered to the project site.
The entire $133 million Salmon Creek Interchange Project is scheduled for completion in 2014.