I-5 construction impacts Chehalis, Centralia

Travelers in Centralia and Chehalis should pack their patience and expect delays this summer as the Washington State Department of Transportation begins work on two Interstate 5 safety and mobility projects.

Replacement of a girder on the Chamber Way bridge over I-5 and Stage 2 of the I-5, Mellen Street to Blakeslee Junction project mean lane closures, detours, interchange work and more, all starting in August.

In Chehalis, the I-5, Chamber Way Girder Replacement project replaces a damaged girder on the Chamber Way bridge over I-5. The bridge has a signed clearance of 14 feet, 9 inches, and was recently struck by two vehicles carrying unpermitted over-height loads.

To keep traffic moving on Chamber Way during construction, crews will remove sidewalks and narrow the travel lanes, prohibiting pedestrians and wide loads from using the bridge until work is complete in October. A signed detour will take pedestrians around the work zone using nearby West Street.

Drivers on northbound I-5 and Chamber Way will also be detoured at times during this three-month project.

The second and final stage of I-5, Mellen Street to Blakeslee Junction starts in late summer. Stage 2 completes WSDOT’s overhaul of four miles of I-5 in Centralia, including new collector-distributor lanes; a couplet system at Mellen Street; safety improvements north of Blakeslee Junction; congestion relief at the Mellen Street and Harrison Avenue interchanges; and a new local travel option via the Louisiana Avenue-Airport Road connection.

The entire $188 million gas-tax-funded project is scheduled for completion in early 2016.