Noise from from the grinding work on I-5 getting you down? Our friends over at seattlepi.com have an update for ya:
Getting There: When will I-5 project in North Seattle be complete?
By SCOTT GUTIERREZ
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFFQuestion:
Misty Willits asks when the DOT is planning to complete the repaving project on Interstate 5 north of Seattle. “The grooves in the pavement actually cause the wheels on my car to jog side-to-side to such a degree that it is difficult to steer. It feels very similar to hydroplaning, which leads me to believe this will be incredibly dangerous when the rains start. What is the ETA?” she asks.
Answer:
Bronlea Miller, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Transportation, has the most recent update (seattlepi.com wrote about the project earlier this year and the noise complaints it was drawing from North Seattle residents who live close to the freeway):
“We are on track to finish the Seattle to Shoreline pavement repair project by the end of December. There are a few areas along southbound I-5 between Northgate Way and the Ship Canal Bridge that have not yet been ground down across all lanes. In these areas, vehicles slightly shift, especially when crossing over into a lane that has not yet been fully ground down,” she says.
“These ridges will be removed as the grinding in each section is completed. In addition, whenever crews working for WSDOT finish grinding a section of I-5, they measure the pavement roughness to make sure there are no remaining bumps. If one is found, they then grind it down,” she says.
“Grinding down the lanes on I-5 extends the life of the freeway by smoothing out the ruts. Grinding also helps prevent skidding by adding texture to the roadway. The textured, longitudinal grooves help drain water, preventing it from pooling on the surface. Less water on the surface actually increases safety for all drivers by helping to prevent hydroplaning,” she says.
