Get Ready For Big I-5 Shifts In Tacoma: WSDOT

UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA — Just as you were getting used to the last I-5 lane switch in Tacoma, get ready for a new one.

Starting this weekend, WSDOT crews will shift northbound I-5 lanes in the Tacoma Dome-area. Then next week, southbound lanes will shift to a new route across the new Puyallup River Bridge.

On Friday night, crews will begin work to shift all northbound I-5 lanes between East McKinley Way and Portland Avenue left toward the Tacoma Dome. The new configuration will also result in narrower lanes, from 12 feet down to 11 feet.

"This traffic shift creates the necessary work zone to widen I-5 and repave a section of the original roadway surface," WSDOT said in a blog post on Tuesday.

But that's just the appetizer. A more noticeable shift will happen beginning around June 14. All southbound lanes will move left over to the new northbound Puyallup River Bridge. That shift will begin at the Port of Tacoma Road exit. This shift will allow crews to begin work on a new southbound Puyallup River Bridge, set to be complete by 2021.

One lane of traffic will still cross the old Puyallup River Bridge to allow for access to SR 167, Bay Street, and Portland Avenue.

Remember: the new speed limit along I-5 in Tacoma is now 50 MPH. If you're confused about the lane changes, check out this video from WSDOT.