The Washington State Department of Transportation and the city of Vancouver are tackling several road projects around Southwest Washington that could complicate some trips for drivers in the upcoming weeks.
Ongoing work on southbound Interstate 5 near Woodland and Kalama continues. Crews are resurfacing two bridge decks and closing one lane to traffic during the day and two lanes at night. Speed limits are reduced to 60 mph through the work zones.
During the repairs, crews will resurface the bridge decks, replace expansion joints, install new waterproof membranes and restripe the roadway, according to a WSDOT news release.
Starting today contractors will resume work on state Highway 501/Lower River Road between 26th Street to the end of the road in the Vancouver Lake lowlands. The project includes construction and crack sealing, chip sealing and pavement marker installation. Work on the project is expected to continue through Aug. 12.
The city of Vancouver plans to close onramps and offramps on state Highway 500 and Thurston Way from 10 p.m. Aug. 3 until 5 a.m. Aug. 4. Crews will use that time to repair nearby sections of Thurston Way.
According to a news release from the city of Vancouver, contractors working for the city will lay asphalt chip seal and fog seal to Thurston Way from Fourth Plain Boulevard to Northeast 51st Street. The road will stay open, but drivers should expect loose gravel, lane closures and delays. The work is being done at night to reduce travel impacts.
On Wednesday at 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., crews will chip seal and fog seal Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard from Northeast 86th Avenue to just past Northeast Vancouver Mall Drive. The road will remain open, but traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.
Paving work starts Aug. 7, on Padden Parkway/state Highway 500 between Northeast 117th Avenue (state Highway 503) and Northeast 162nd Avenue, and along Northeast 162nd Avenue to Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard, according to WSDOT.
Drivers should plan for daytime and nighttime lane closures in both directions of the road.
Later this summer, Padden’s westbound lanes between Northeast 117th Avenue and Northeast 162nd Avenue will close for the weekend. The following weekend the eastbound lanes will close. The exact dates will be announced later.
