Thorne Lane On-Ramp Opening Delayed

LAKEWOOD, WA — Drivers in the Lakewood area who had been looking forward to the new Thorne Lane improvements will have to wait just a little bit longer.

WSDOT says that, due to complications caused by the weather, they'll be delaying the openings of the Thorne Lane on-ramp and the shared Berkeley Street exit until next weekend. Both are tentatively set to open on June 13.

In the meantime, crews will continue their work, so drivers should expect overnight lane and ramp closures in the area.

Until the work is done, drivers will need to take detours to get onto I-5. WSDOT says that travelers coming from Murray Road or JBLM's Logistics Gate will likely want to take a detour north on I-5, exit on Gravelly Lake Drive and then get back on I-5 heading south. Drivers headed from Tillicum, meanwhile, are advised to use the Berkeley Street interchange to get onto I-5 southbound.

A temporary speed limit reduction will also remain in place until the construction is finished.

WSDOT says, once the project is fully complete, they believe it will help cut down on chronic traffic congestion in the area, particularly for I-5 alongside Joint Base Lewis-McChord.