SEATTLE – After four weeks of preservation work on the northbound Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge the Washington State Department of Transportation, in close coordination with local agencies, transit providers and first responders, wrapped the first phase of Revive I-5 Ship Canal Bridge preservation project. Thanks to those partnerships and the adjustments made by travelers, the region kept moving during one of the busiest stretches of construction to date.

From mid-July through mid-August, WSDOT's contractor, Guy F. Atkinson Construction:

• Replaced more than 900 feet of aging bridge deck with new concrete.
• Repaved a new grooved surface which improves traction and safety.
• Installed 94 new drains along the northbound lanes to reduce water pooling.
• Replaced bridge expansion joints.
• Installed and maintained temporary concrete barriers that created a safer work zone for crews and the public and restripe, then removed them.

"This was a significant undertaking on one of the most heavily traveled sections of I-5," said Northwest Region Administrator Brian Nielsen. "We're grateful to drivers, neighbors and our many partners who worked with us to keep the region moving. It was thousands of individual choices to travel at a different time, try transit, or use an alternate route that made a difficult stretch of construction much more manageable."

What's next

This summer's closure is one chapter in a larger preservation story. Crews will return this fall for additional drainage work on the southbound lanes of the Ship Canal Bridge. More details will be shared as they are finalized.

Revive I-5 is a multi-year investment that will continue through the 2026 and 2027 construction seasons. Work includes repairing worn pavement, replacing expansion joints and improving drainage.

Construction schedules for future work will be managed carefully and will pause during the FIFA World Cup in summer 2026 to help ensure fans, residents and visitors can travel more easily during one of the largest events ever hosted in the state.

While the construction will mean future long-term lane reductions and will include full closures to again set temporary concrete barrier to create a safer work zone for crews and the public, WSDOT will continue to coordinate closely with local agencies, transit partners and first responders.

The agency will evaluate lessons learned from this summer's work and will continue to provide advance notice and share real-time information to help people plan ahead. 

Building for the future

I-5 is more than 60 years old and carries hundreds of thousands of people as well as commercial traffic each day. Preservation work now helps avoid more disruptive and expensive repairs later and is part of a much larger regional effort to update and preserve the transportation system.

The long-term lane reductions on I-5 planned for 2026 and 2027 will coincide with other major highway projects on I-405, I-90, and SR 520. Together, these efforts represent one of the most concentrated periods of highway construction the Puget Sound area has seen in decades. This level of overlap is unavoidable, as the region is at a critical point in its transportation investment. Moving forward now is essential to maintain and strengthen the system for the future.

"Our region depends on these corridors," said Nielsen. "The work may be inconvenient at times, but it's essential. By making these investments today, and by working closely with our partners to minimize the effects of this work on the public, we're ensuring that this critical infrastructure can continue to serve Washingtonians and that they can enjoy the beautiful summers and fun events in the Pacific Northwest while we are working."

In addition to the real-time travel map, information is available from the WSDOT mobile app and by signing up for WSDOT's email updates.