No alternate routes available for freight traffic
Travelers using southbound Interstate 5 through Woodland should expect up to 90 minutes of delay during Friday afternoon and evening and should delay travel or prepare for additional travel time.
Beginning Monday, July 22, Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews reduced three lanes of southbound I-5 to two narrow lanes around-the-clock for the 50-day bridge rehabilitation project at the North Fork Lewis River Bridge near Woodland.
Travelers should obey message signs that direct non-local and freight traffic to stay on the interstate and avoid using local city and county streets to detour around construction as delays are often more significant.
Construction delays
Southbound I-5 is reduced to two lanes 24/7 until mid-September
- Between 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Friday, July 26, travelers should expect 70-90 extra minutes of travel time on southbound I-5 near Woodland.
- Travelers are asked to travel off-peak hours to avoid delays.
- Freight and non-local traffic should not exit the interstate to use local city and county routes as vehicles are getting stuck on roads with steep grades and tight turns.
- If traveling during peak traffic hours, be prepared for significant delays and consider filling the gas tank or charging electric vehicles and packing drinking water.
Travel charts indicating the best times to travel can be found on the North Fork Lewis River Bridge project website under the “Maps and Drawings” tab.
Travelers are reminded to slow down, use caution, stay focused, and expect delays in the work zone until project completion in mid-September.
Know before you go
People can receive real-time travel information via the WSDOT mobile app, or by visiting our real-time travel map.
Also read:
- Letter: ‘This is the worst thing that ever happened to the region’
A Hayden Island resident Sam Churchill is criticized in a letter calling the $14 billion Interstate Bridge Replacement project a “boondoggle” that destroys local businesses. - Opinion: Half the road, full stop – Understanding pedestrian right-of-way
Doug Dahl explains how Washington’s law requires drivers to stop when a pedestrian is within one lane of their half of the road, not just when directly in front. - Opinion: What is the cost of a bridge?
John Ley argues the I-5 Bridge replacement’s soaring cost stems from costly extras like light rail, noting other states deliver larger, toll-free bridges for much less. - Letter: Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle makes several serious and incorrect engineering statements
Bob Ortblad critiques engineering claims by Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, highlighting cost and safety advantages of an immersed tunnel for the I-5 crossing. - Washington’s studded tire deadline is March 31
Drivers must remove studded tires by March 31 or face a $137 fine, with WSDOT urging early action due to busy service centers and no planned deadline extension.
