State Department of Transportation regional administrator Kevin Dayton refers to the Nalley Valley Viaduct as the "crown jewel" of ongoing work in Pierce County.

(Click here for our earlier story and map detailing the project.)

It may a pretty lonely jewel, too. Gov. Chris Gregoire's budget would delay parts of the viaduct project, as well as parts of the carpool lane project on Interstate 5 through Tacoma to the point that they might not get done at all. At least, not without another source of money.

Stay tuned to see how much the governor and Seattle legislators decide to spend on their projects up north -- their viaduct (Alaskan Way) and their bridge (Highway 520).

Next up in Tacoma: New SR 16 Nalley Valley viaduct

Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Contact: Ricky Bhalla, WSDOT Asst. Project Engineer, 253-589-6100
Jamie Swift, WSDOT Communications, 360-507-4261

TACOMA – Work begins Monday, Jan. 5 on a replacement for the Interstate 5/State Route 16 interchange, one of Pierce County’s worst bottlenecks.

“There’s no question the new Narrows Bridge is the crown jewel of our ongoing work in Pierce County,” said WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator Kevin Dayton, “but the new interchange is the pivotal centerpiece of our transportation strategy and brings all the parts together. More than $1 billion in improvements on I-5 and SR 16 now converge in the Nalley Valley.”

[More:]

Dayton, State Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma and other public officials are scheduled to attend a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7 for the I-5/SR 16 Westbound Nalley Valley project.

"The completed Westbound Nalley Valley project will yield instant benefits for Pierce County drivers," Dayton said. "More importantly, the project is part of a larger corridor plan aimed at improving safety for motorists, keeping freight and the economy moving, and building toward an HOV network that moves more people in fewer vehicles."

Over the course of the three-year construction project, there will be disruptions to traffic – including long-term closures of the Sprague Avenue on- and off-ramps, lane closures on I-5, SR 16 and city streets, and traffic revisions that put eastbound and westbound SR 16 traffic on temporary bridges.

This $184 million project – funded primarily by the 2003 gas-tax funding package – eliminates the weave of traffic where vehicles from I-5 change lanes in order to merge onto SR 16 or exit at Sprague Avenue. The westbound project is scheduled for completion in fall 2011, after which crews turn their attention to building the eastbound viaduct.

An average of 131,000 vehicles use the viaduct each day, compared to the 40,000 that traveled it daily in the early 1970s when it opened to traffic.

For more project information or to sign up for Pierce County Traffic News e-mail alerts, visit: http://www.tacomatraffic.com/.