Polly A. Brooks, P.E.
Assistant Project Engineer
Washington State Department of Transportation
Mount Vernon Project Office
(360) 848-7102
Hello,
After 81 years of use, the southbound I-5 Stillaguamish River bridge deck needs to be replaced. During construction this summer, the roadway shoulders will temporarily be narrowed, and we will be unable to safely accommodate bicycles on I-5. A signed detour route will be in place for bicycle use, from mid-June through early November of 2014.
All motorized vehicle traffic will be shifted to the northbound I-5 bridge, and the southbound bridge will be closed. Traffic will be reduced to two lanes in each direction using the northbound bridge, with shoulders that will be reduced to 18 inches wide in many locations. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate bicycles on the temporarily narrowed I-5 shoulders. To accommodate bicycles, we have created a detour along Pioneer Highway and 236th Street Northwest. Signs will be placed along the route to guide bicyclists.
We looked at several options for detouring bicycles, both east and west of I-5. Most of the routes include narrow shoulders, significant roadway grades, and areas with limited sight distance. The route west of I-5 was selected because it is the shortest route, and has less motorized vehicle traffic than the other routes.
We understand that this will be an inconvenience to those traveling by bicycle. We are continuing to work with our contractor to complete the bridge work as quickly as possible so we can reopen all lanes and shoulders of I-5. Preliminary work starts June 9, and we expect the lanes and shoulders to be reopened in November.
We apologize for any inconvenience. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Dave Crisman, WSDOT Project Engineer, at 360-848-7100. As always, your feedback is important, and all suggestions will be evaluated. You can also visit the project website athttp://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/stillaguamishbridgerehab/ .
