Route 16 exit in Tacoma will be partially closed Monday for repairs

HOV commuters on Interstate 5 trying to get to State Route 16 Tacoma will have to rethink their exit strategy on Monday, as road maintenance will cut off the usual pathway for a few hours.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 4, the HOV lane on northbound I-5 will be cut off from the normal HOV-only exit to Route 16 toward Gig Harbor. Drivers will instead have to scoot into the boring old regular lanes earlier in their journey to take Exit 132, which connects to Route 16 westbound.

Washington State Department of Transportation crews are repairing and replacing “crash cushions” along the roadway, the agency announced in a travel advisory last week. The improvements are necessary “to maintain and preserve a vital transportation corridor in Tacoma.”

Also known as impact attenuator systems, crash cushions protect people in the event of an accident from more severe injury by absorbing kinetic energy, as well as highway infrastructure from the ramifications of a multi-ton vehicle colliding off-course.

Picture the round-edged, heavy-duty guard rail with the signature yellow-and-black warning stripes. These “cowbody cushions” surround important road foundations such as overpass supports and highway entrances or merge points. They also are set up around construction zones to protect workers and machinery.

These tools either cause the car to gradually slow down to a stop, if hit head-on, or help redirect it away from the cushion if struck on the side. They are commonly used near rigid objects on highways or other pieces that cannot be removed or relocated, or that would break off upon impact, WSDOT explains.

WSDOT said the late-morning to mid-afternoon work hours are intended to “avoid peak commute hours,” but “travelers are encouraged to add extra time.”

The state agency also reminded drivers to take heed in work zones to slow down, be kind, pay attention, expect delays and stay calm. Summer in Washington is seemingly always brimming with roadway construction, thanks to dry weather. WSDOT has more than 100 major projects on the books this year.

This story was originally published August 3, 2025 at 5:15 AM.