Clark County drivers heading north toward Seattle should expect major delays on both directions of Interstate 5 near Olympia during the next two weekends, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Structural repair work at the interchange connecting Interstate 5 and U.S. Highway 101 will require ramp and lane closures, causing lengthy backups. Even if traffic volumes are 30 percent lower than a normal weekend, traffic models still show backups reaching 14 miles, according to WSDOT. The worst congestion is expected on southbound I-5.
Crews will replace a bridge expansion joint during the closures. Lane and ramp closures will begin each Thursday, Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, with impacts lasting through both weekends, according to WSDOT.
This weekend, I-5 will be reduced in the area to one lane in each direction overnight Friday and Saturday, and two lanes in each direction during daytime hours on Saturday and Sunday, according to WSDOT.
