Several winters of hard living and studded snow-tire wear have caught up with a half-mile stretch of southbound Interstate 5 just north of Burlington. With severe alligator cracking and depressed wheel tracks that resemble a sunken soufflé, maintenance crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation are taking action to make sure the roadway doesn’t get any worse.
Beginning Monday, July 15, until Thursday, July 18, crews will close the left lane of southbound I-5 between the Cook Road and Chuckanut Drive interchanges for asphalt repair. Drivers should expect fairly lengthy delays while southbound I-5 is reduced to a single lane between 4 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day.
“If we don’t fix this now, we’ll be dealing with major potholing all winter,” said Tony Hernandez, WSDOT maintenance superintendent.
The southbound on-ramp from Cook Road will also be closed during construction. Signed detour routes will help direct drivers.