Endless construction on I-5 in Tacoma to wrap up sometime next year

TACOMA, Wash. — There's a light at the end of the tunnel for what seems like never ending construction on I-5 in Tacoma.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said by this time next year, nearly two decades of work on the busy interstate will almost be complete.

It was in the year 2000 when WSDOT got $1.6 billion for the Tacoma-Pierce County HOV Program. That resulted in 17 projects, each one building the foundation to the next.

But according to all WSDOT, they are now down to the final four projects of 2018. Two of those are in the final weeks of construction – one near the Tacoma Dome and the other one on I-5 at the new Puyallup River Bridge.

The I-5 State Route 16 HOV Connector project is expected to be completed next summer.

“There are some challenges, weather has produced some delays, but overall we are almost there,” said Cara Mitchell with WSDOT.

And WSDOT said drivers will be able to drive continuously on HOV lanes from Gig Harbor all the way north past Seattle by 2021.

Cox Media Group