Roads facing construction and weather repairs make for some creative commuting
You may have to find creative re-routes to avoid some area road closures in the days ahead, and in at least one case near the Pierce-Mason County line, a 22-mile detour is in store.
Interstate 5: The final push for a new I-5 bridge over the Puyallup River, part of the $1.4 billion I-5 and state Route 16 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) project, has striping work that needs completion. That includes a roughly 2-mile long segment of I-5 from Port of Tacoma Road to the East McKinley Way overpass, and is dependent on good weather. Work will happen at night, typically 10 p.m.-5 a.m., with traffic reduced to one lane at certain times.. Ramps will close during the night but reopen during the day.
Key Peninsula: Drivers should prepare to find a part of Key Peninsula Highway NW shut down Monday for culvert replacement. Temporary repairs were made on site Friday. The county, in an update sent Friday, said the site is “expected” to be closed Monday with a detour in place. The detour route is Cornwall Rd NW, 186th Ave NW and Herron Rd NW. The Monday closure is scheduled from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Pierce County: Orville Road East between Kapowsin Highway and state Route 161 remains closed to through traffic due to multiple mudslides, according to the county. While some minor slides had been cleared, the county says it will evaluate the remaining mudslides Monday “to determine if they have stabilized enough to clean up safely.”
One mudslide blocked both lanes of Orville Road East near the south end of Ohop Lake. The road is closed to all traffic. The county advised that local residents should use state Route 161.
Mason County: State Route 302 remains closed in both directions at milepost 4.5 near the Mason/Pierce County line (Rocky Bay/Victor area) and will remain so until further notice, according to the state Department of Transportation. The site is closed to through traffic in both directions because of damaged pavement. Officials told The Kitsap Sun that crews must wait for the site to stabilize before repairs can begin. State DOT noted in a release that “People who usually use state Route 302 between state Route 3 and state Route 16 will need use a 22-mile detour via state Route 16 in Gorst or use alternative routes.”
