WSDOT’s $245M I-5 fix hits JBLM this month. What it means for your commute
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Pendleton Avenue at JBLM closed May 4 through May 22 with a signed detour in place.
- JBLM DuPont Gate will close May 22 at 9 p.m. through June 9 at 5 a.m., rerouting traffic.
- I-5 Corridor project costs $245 million and crews expect completion in late 2026.
Residents can expect closures along Interstate 5 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord this month.
According to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation, the changes are part of the Interstate 5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-DuPont Road Corridor Improvements Project, which aims to improve traffic congestion along I-5 near JBLM.
Closures
Pendleton Avenue between West Way and Main Street at JBLM has been closed since May 4 and will remain closed until May 22.
A signed detour is in place, the release said.
“The around-the-clock closure allows crews to lower the roadway beneath the highway. The work is intended to reduce the potential for over-height vehicles hitting the bridge,” the release said. “Trucks will have more than 16 feet of clearance when the work is complete.”
JBLM’s DuPont Gate at 4085 West Way will be closed from 9 p.m. on May 22 to 5 a.m. on June 9, the release said. Visitors and military members will use the RCF Gate, which will be open from 5 a.m. to noon for inbound traffic and noon. to 7 p.m. for outbound traffic on weekdays.
Drivers can expect to see flaggers “occasionally alternate traffic during daytime hours” at the new three-way Wilmington Drive and Barksdale Avenue Intersection, the release said.
“Travelers will see three new stop signs at the intersection,” the release said. “...Crews will work overnight this spring to pave the new three-way intersection. They will also repave the new Steilacoom-DuPont Road roundabout.”
What is this project?
The Interstate 5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-DuPont Road Corridor Improvements Project costs $245 million, the release said, and is part of a series of projects that aims to widen I-5.
Previous improvements include:
- Rebuilding the Berkeley Street and Thorne Lane interchanges to improve pedestrian access.
- Adding new HOV lanes and auxiliary lanes in both directions of I-5.
“After this project is complete, both directions of I-5 will have HOV lanes between Mounts Road and Gravelly Lake Drive,” the release said.
Crews opened a new Steilacoom-DuPont Road interchange on March 22, the release said
“The new bridge eliminates an at-grade railroad intersection and includes a barrier-protected shared-use path connecting JBLM to DuPont,” the release said.
Crews expect to complete the project in late 2026, the release said.
Residents can call the project hotline at 253-600-1206 with questions.
