Long-Term Closure for I-5 Exit to Tacoma Mall
It’s time for another chapter in the seemingly never ending saga of SR-16 and I-5 construction. This time the impact on drivers will be an extended closure of the South 38th Street exit to Tacoma Mall (Exit 132A).
Beginning at 12:01 a.m. April 20, the exit will be closed while WSDOT crews demolish the existing ramp and connect a new ramp, which will accomodate the eastbound SR-16 viaduct currently under construction. The closure is scheduled to last through July.
Preparatory work for that lengthy closure requires full closures of eastbound SR 16 and some area ramps leading up through the weekend of April 20.
The closures are scheduled as follows:
- 11 p.m. Monday, April 15, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, April 16:
Closing all eastbound SR 16 lanes at Union Avenue.
Closing Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
- 11 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, to 4 a.m. Wednesday, April 17:
Closing all eastbound SR 16 lanes at Union Avenue.
Closing Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
- 10 p.m. Friday, April 19, to 7:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20:
Closing one southbound lane of I-5 between I-705 and SR 16. The southbound I-5 exit to westbound SR 16 will remain open.
- 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 20:
Closing southbound I-5 exit to South 38th Street (Exit #132A). The closure will remain in effect through July.
- 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20
Also closing southbound I-5 exit to westbound SR 16 (Exit #132B). Motorists will be detoured via the South 56th Street interchange.
- 10 p.m. Saturday, April 20, to 9 a.m. Sunday, April 21:
Closing all eastbound SR 16 lanes at Union Avenue.
Closing Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
The work is all part of the SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project which is scheduled for completion in mid 2014.
Read more from WSDOT.
Filed under: Transportation, Neighborhoods, South Tacoma
2 comments
C Catherine April 12, 2013
1.) Why don’t they wait to do this until Christmas week, like they usually do? 2.) Does this mean they’re going to do something about the intersection of 38th and Steele St., behind Costco and next to the Lincoln Shopping Center? I’ve never seen an intersection quite like that one before—
3.) If they close all the eastbound lanes of SR 16, will all the people who usually use that road now have to walk?
C Claudia Bingham Baker April 17, 2013
Hi Catherine. I work for the Washington State Department of Transportation. All jesting aside, I wanted to answer your questions: to #1 – we specifically excluded the timeframe between Thanksgiving and Christmas for this long-term ramp closure in recognition of the shopping season; to #2 – the intersection of 38th and Steele Street is within the City of Tacoma’s jurisdiction. Our highway project doesn’t change that intersection; and to #3 – the signed detour for the eastbound SR 16 closures (we’ve had numerous closures already) take drivers off eastbound SR 16 at Union Avenue. Our goal when planning projects is always how to get the work done most efficiently while still keeping traffic moving. Much of our high-impact work is done during night hours for that reason. In this case, we’re demolishing the ramp to 38th, so we have no choice but to close it until the new ramp is ready to go. We’ll work as fast as we can to make that happen! Thanks for your comments.