Extra WSP enforcement on stretch of I-5 in Tacoma

TACOMA, Wash. — Those traveling on a stretch of I-5 south from Portland Avenue East and South 56th Street in Tacoma will see a large presence from state troopers for the next two days.

Statistics show the two-mile stretch of I-5, especially northbound, has one of the highest collision rates in the area. Last year, there were 177 collisions during the weekday morning commute there during a two-month period.

Many say it’s because of the construction.  WSDOT is in the middle of a three-year project. Crews have been have been widening a section by the Tacoma Dome for months. Drivers have complained about some of the lanes not being clear and the routing of the lanes being changed.

Crash statistics before the construction started, back in 2013, shows there were only 109 crashes.

Since then, there's been a 62 percent increase in the number of collisions.

When KIRO 7 asked the DOT about the number, they said the problem was not with the construction, but with drivers being inattentive and driving too fast in a construction zone.

The State Patrol’s High Visibility Enforcement effort is to ensure drivers are going the speed limit and driving safely.

The emphasis runs between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday and between noon and 4 p.m. Thursday.

Cox Media Group