Behind the scenes of Workman Wednesday

By: Lauren Padgett

Every day, WSDOT’s Incident Response Team patrols highways, clearing crashes, helping stranded drivers and keeping traffic moving safely. Most of the time, their work goes unnoticed – unless something goes wrong. But on a recent Wednesday, the flashing lights and sirens were out for a different reason: to give a curious 4-year-old named MJ a closer look at what they do.

MJ, who lives with his family in Yelm, is on a mission to meet “workmans” of all kinds – like plumbers, electricians and construction workers. His mom, Jessica Lee, shares them on TikTok series called “Workman Wednesday.”

4-year-old MJ Lee is interested in meeting "workmans" of all kinds, and was interested in learning about how Incident Response Teams help drivers on the road.

A former communications manager for WSDOT follows Lee’s TikTok account and suggested that WSDOT reach out for a collaboration. When he was approached by the social media team, Northwest Region IRT superintendent Dennis Smith knew it was an opportunity to highlight IRT, who perform a critical service.

“Statewide, IRT spends most of their day handling unpleasant situations ranging from helping driver’s who have run out of gas or need their tire changed, to complex fatality collisions, of which our IRT are often first on scene. They are interacting with the public on one of their worst, if not the worst, day of their lives,” Smith said. “Having the opportunity for my team to interact with this youngster reminded us of why we all got into this profession to begin with: to do our best to provide safe passage and ensure the members of our community and beyond get to where they are going.”

Smith, with the help of IRT drivers Brian Downing, Michael Hedquist and Justin Backes, gave MJ a tour of their trucks. They showed him how to talk on the dispatch radio and how the lights, sirens and loudspeakers work. They even showed him how they use sand to clean up after a spill, drag a chain and put gas in a car.

“These are hardworking people who don’t get the same recognition that others get, and we appreciate the jobs you don’t see or know much about,” said Lee.

For a child fascinated by “workman” jobs, it was a dream come true, and for the NWR IRT, it was a sweet way to share a meaningful message.

From left, Dennis Smith, Brian Downing, MJ Lee, Justin Backes and Michael Hedquist pose in front of the IRT trucks.

“IRT is a special breed, and responding to a collision or disabled vehicle in the center lane is not for the faint of heart. My entire crew means something to someone. We all do,” Smith said. “So slow down, move over and let us do what we do, so we can continue to ensure that we get people like MJ and his mom out of a travel lane and to a safe location or on their way.”

WSDOT social media manager Rachel Terlep said that participating in MJ’s “Workman Wednesday” series was a way to help share the IRT story with more people.

WSDOT NWR IRT Superintendent Dennis Smith fixes 4-year-old MJ Lee's hat as he gets ready to tour the Incident Response trucks for "workman Wednesday." 

“We talk about our crews’ great work all the time, but this collaboration was unique. People expect WSDOT to praise its own crews, but when that message comes from someone they already recognize, it carries more authenticity and impact,” said Terlep.

In all, this simple meet-and-greet reached over 160,000 views online, through WSDOT and Lee’s social media posts.

“This is delightful! And many thanks to the IRT for helping me when I was in an accident on busy I-5 in the dark! It is dangerous work but so appreciated,” one user wrote.

Other viewers agreed.

“I love how these guys are taking the time to show him everything. Thank you, Washington State DOT! We love you and appreciate you, and we learned a lot! WSDOT Incident Response are like superheroes ... my heart needed this today.”

 

 

 

Preparing for winter: How maintenance crews gear up for snow and ice season

By: Tina Werner

Just as you might prepare your home for colder weather, our maintenance crews and mechanics are busy getting ready for winter. Our mechanics service more than 500 snowplows, 141 loaders, 20 snowblowers and five tow plows across the state. Our crews use this equipment to support safe and reliable travel.

A mechanic at our Wenatchee shop repairs a snowblower prior to the winter season.

Each winter, about 1,500 employees are directly involved in snow and ice operations across state highways. That includes several mountain passes. They order equipment, replace worn parts and prepare trucks for the rugged season ahead. They complete Commercial Driver’s License training. Before winter starts, they coordinate with fellow first responders like law enforcement partners, fire departments and tow truck operators in their communities. But even with all this preparation, we still need your help to keep roads safe. You can help by planning ahead and being prepared for winter driving conditions.

Mechanics at our Wenatchee shop service several trucks prior to the winter season.

 A mechanic in Union Gap completes repairs to a truck, ensuring its ready for the winter ahead.

Mountain pass closures and priority routes

Mountain pass closures happen every winter for a variety of reasons. Those might include spinouts, crashes, unprepared drivers, avalanche control operations or unsafe weather conditions that prevent crews from safely clearing the road. When this happens, Incident Response, maintenance crews, tow operators and other first responders work together to clear the road. Please give them room to work safely and expect delays. Larger crashes may require specialized tow equipment, which increases response and closure times. If a spill occurs, cleanup can take even longer. Everyone can do their part to keep passes and roadways open. This includes updating your travel plans if closures occur and staying up to date using WSDOT’s tools.

 A driver lost control of a semi on Interstate 90 in March 2025. The crash resulted in an extended closure of I-90 in both directions from North Bend to Ellensburg while specialized tow trucks removed the crashed vehicles.

As we do every winter, crews will “swarm to the storm”. That means moving available resources to highest affected or priority routes during storms. As always, we prioritize our work based on by safety, available resources and pre-existing priority routes. Our crews focus on clearing major interstates first. Then we clear roadways for the largest number of travelers. Finally, crews move down to less frequently traveled roadways and shared use paths.

Follow tire chains and traction tire notices

When weather conditions require tire chains, it’s for everyone’s safety. Unfortunately, we often see pass closures caused by drivers who ignore chain-up signs and then lose control. Just one unprepared driver can close the pass for everyone. Failing to install chains when posted can result in a fine of up to $500. While our agency does not issue tickets, we partner with the Washington State Patrol to help enforce these requirements. If you’re unsure about your vehicle’s performance or your comfort level driving in snow, consider waiting to travel until conditions improve. There’s no shame in waiting out a storm.

Crew members teach fellow employees the correct way to install tire chains on our heavy equipment in Wenatchee.

Where is the plow?

If you see a section of roadway with no plows, they are likely tandem plowing on another route or plowing the road in other locations. Each plow covers between 40 and 100 miles of highway and typically travels 25 to 35 mph while operating. During severe storms, plows and other equipment are often shifted between areas to increase response in the most affected regions. Please be patient, drive smart and never pass a plow unless you have a clear and safe opportunity to do so.

A crew tandem plows State Route 16 in Tacoma. Tandem plowing is a method where multiple snowplows operate in a staggered formation to clear several lanes of a roadway simultaneously.

Training and preparation

The safety of both crews and the traveling public is our top priority. If conditions prevent crews from safely keeping a road open, we will close it to protect everyone. Crews have completed additional winter training and prep, including temporary equipment installations and refresher exercises. All this training and prep means they’re prepared when the first winter storm hits.

Crews participated in material calibration training in Chehalis. An outside expert from FORCE led the October training, providing guidance to three separate crews on proper techniques and data collection.

A group of trucks line up for a winter training course day in Monroe. The exercise combined hands on and classroom curriculum to prepare crews for winter.

Do your part to prepare for winter travel

Our crews are doing their part, but we need the public’s help too to keep highways open and safe.

We ask travelers to:

1. Be prepared for possible delays and ensure you carry appropriate winter travel gear.
2. Stay informed. Check weather and conditions before you leave and during travel as winter weather changes quickly – if you are driving, never check from behind the wheel, pull over to a safe spot or ask a passenger to check. Use WSODT’s tools to stay informed of conditions and possible closures.
3. Carry chains. Requiring chains in certain conditions allows travelers to continue moving during storms rather than closing a pass or roadway. If you haven’t before, look into getting chains or traction alternatives recommended for your vehicle. Practice installing chains at home or driveway. You do not want to install chains for your first time along the side of a highway during a winter storm.
4. Always expect winter travel conditions. Drive knowing and expecting that snow and ice conditions could be present. Roads that appear wet could be black ice.
5. Even if you don’t see them, our crews are out there. Plows must travel slowly to safely clear roads. Our maintenance crews often work on alternate routes or sections of highway to reach bare and wet conditions. Our crews take great pride in their work and many live in the communities where they serve.

A mechanic poses in front of a vintage WSDOT truck in 1972 near our Preston maintenance shed.

Water fight: Lots of work to curb erosion along Hood Canal on State Route 106 in Mason County

By: April Leigh 

State Route 106 meanders along an idyllic landscape of water, rock and treed hillsides.

SR 106 is a two-lane highway along the Hood Canal in Mason County.

But when you couple strong storms with king tides at this picturesque spot, it’s a recipe for roadway flooding.

Heavy rains cause higher, faster water to run down the hill on one side. On the other side, higher tides can surge and overwhelm drainage systems.

Destructive waters

We’ve seen mother nature’s destructive touch on this road firsthand. Over the last three years we’ve had to close portions of SR 106 several times due to flooding. We’ve also had to fix several slides along the shoulder where steep hills meet the highway.

A slide closed SR 106 for several hours at milepost 2.4 after heavy rains in November 2024.

Most recently, our maintenance crews have focused on shoreline erosion along the side of the road near Hood Canal. Steeper areas have slowly eroded. In some places you can see where the embankment has inched closer to the shoulder of the road.

An embankment fell and closed the shoulder of SR 106 at milepost 2.9 in April 2025.

A soggy uphill battle

This time of year, our maintenance crews are gearing up for another season of fighting water on SR 106. It will be a bit different this year though. During the wet months ahead, they’ll closely watch a series of new hillside repairs built this summer.

Maintenance crews use biodegradable mats and vegetation to shore up an embankment next to SR 106 along the Hood Canal in Mason County.

From May through September this year, we built erosion control projects at 17 spots along the 20-mile highway.

Crew members are no strangers to this type of erosion control work on SR 106. However, completing 17 projects in one summer is a huge achievement, particularly when you consider how close the work is to the shoreline. Before we begin construction, we have to understand how the work will affect the environment. We also have to get engineering approvals and all the right permits.

During construction, we rebuilt rock walls at some locations. We reinforced other locations with biodegradable fabric and plants to help hold the hillside in place.

This work is designed to slow the water down and promote a better environment for wildlife along the canal.

It’s an uphill battle though. Each of the 17 locations completed this summer were prioritized based on need at the time.

There are more than 40 other locations along this highway currently identified for repairs. And that list gets longer and changes every time we have a strong storm event at the same time as a king tide. We plan to complete more sites in the coming years, but a lot depends on priority, available resources and mother nature.

Maintenance crews use an excavator to place boulders along a newly rebuilt retaining wall beside SR 106.

The work on SR 106 is just one kind of work our crews focused on this summer. Our summers include many types of projects that help prepare our roads and bridges for the upcoming rainy season.

See more photos of summer maintenance work in 2025 in Olympic Region.

Help prevent roadside flooding

Roadside flooding is not just a problem along SR 106. It’s everywhere in western Washington. Soon, we’ll see water rush down steep hills, flood storm drains and pool on roadways.

If you live near a state highway, you can help reduce the chances of roadside flooding. Here are some preventative maintenance tips for your property:

• Clean out your roof gutters
• Keep your storm drains clear
• Check your driveway culverts for debris

The time has come! New tolling rules on SR 167 go into effect on Monday, Oct. 20

By: Lauren McLaughlin 

For most of the year we’ve been telling people that big changes are coming to SR 167 this fall. That’s still true, but things will look a little different than originally planned due to a late-September bridge strike in Pacific, which triggered lane closures in the northbound direction until repairs are made.

Some of the changes are easy to spot if you’ve been driving on SR 167, but not all of them are obvious, so here’s a breakdown on what those changes are and what they mean for you.

Carpoolers must have a Flex Pass

The biggest change is for people who currently carpool on SR 167. Starting Oct. 20 if you want to continue to carpool toll free you will need to have a Good To Go!account and a Flex Pass set to HOV mode.

An example of the Good To Go! Flex Pass, that shows the pass in both modes. When you are traveling alone make sure “TOLL” is showing. When you are carpooling, make sure “HOV” is showing. 

If you do not have a Flex Pass set to HOV mode, you will be charged a toll for your trip regardless of how many people are in the vehicle.

Motorcycles will also need an account and a Motorcycle pass to continue to travel toll free.

You will still only need two people in the car to qualify as a carpool, but you must have the Flex Pass installed in the vehicle to travel toll-free. All other vehicles will pay a toll regardless of how many people are in the vehicle.

We're giving away a limited number of free Flex Passes right now. Visit www.GoodToGo167.com to get a promo code you can use to order a free one.

Now offering Pay By Mail

On all other toll roads in Washington, drivers have the choice to use the toll road without a Good To Go! account or pass, but that hasn’t been the case for SR 167. To legally use the lane, you needed to have a Good To Go! pass, or be a carpool.

This summer we updated the tolling equipment on SR 167, and that included installing cameras that will take a photo of your license plate if you do not have a pass so we can send you a bill in the mail after your trip. This allows drivers to decide in the moment if the toll is worth it for their trip.

New signs

As you’ve probably already noticed, the new signs list up to three different toll rates. That’s because we’re splitting SR 167 into three toll zones, like you see on I-405.

These zones allow us to better manage the toll rates throughout the corridor. If there’s heavy traffic in one toll zone, the toll rates might be higher in that area. If traffic is flowing freely in another area, the toll rate may be lower.

The new toll rate signs will show up to three toll rates, one for each toll zone. You only need to pay attention to the toll rate listed by where you will exit the tolled lane. 

There will be three tolls listed on the sign, but you don’t add them up. You lock in the price you see when you enter the lanes, and you only pay the toll listed next to your planned exit.

The toll rates range between $1 and $15 if you have a Good To Go! account and pass, same as they do now. But you’ll only pay for the distance you travel.

New striping

Along with the new toll zones, SR 167 will be restriped. There will be dashed lines where you can enter or exit the tolled lane and double white lines everywhere else – which are illegal to cross.

What’s delayed

The original plan was to convert six miles of northbound HOV lane between Sumner and Pacific into an express tolled lane when the rest of the system changes went into effect. Given the current situation with the bridge strike in Pacific, we will be delaying the conversion of the HOV lane until all lanes of SR 167 reopen.

While we can’t delay all the changes, we wanted to provide some relief where it was possible to do so.

Why we can’t delay more

Delaying the start of the toll changes would substantially increase the cost of the project and jeopardize a future start date. Much of the remaining work is weather-dependent and we would run out of time to complete the work within the window of good weather this year.

Why these changes are needed

This work has been in progress since 2023 with the ultimate goal of creating an approximately 50-mile managed lane corridor. That would allow drivers to travel all the way between Sumner and Lynnwood without needing to exit the tolled lanes. To do that, the tolled lane on SR 167 needs to work the same way as the toll lanes on I-405.

The goal of express toll lanes is to provide a reliable trip for transit, carpoolers and drivers who choose to pay a toll. With the new rules and equipment in place, the toll lanes on SR 167 will provide a more reliable trip. As volumes increase in the express toll lanes, so does the toll rate, which helps avoid overfilling the lanes to ensure a reliable trip for people choosing to use the lanes.

History of the SR 167 HOT lanes

The SR 167 HOT lanes opened in 2008 as a pilot program to test if tolling could be used as traffic management tool. The pilot was one of the first of its kind in the country. At the time, the equipment was state-of-the-art. After 17 years, the equipment has aged and no longer meets the needs of our system or our customers.

Like all systems, tolling equipment must be regularly updated so it continues to work reliably. Our oldest toll road is the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Earlier this year we updated all the equipment on the bridge for the first time in nearly 19 years. We also monitor other roadways as they age to make sure the equipment still meets our needs. We will consider equipment updates on those roads as needed.

New technology improves avalanche safety and response times for Snoqualmie Pass winter closures

By: Tina Werner

If you’ve ever tried to travel between North Bend and Cle Elum during a winter storm, chances are you’ve been delayed by spinouts, crashes or heavy snowfall. You might have even been held up by our specialized crews forcing an avalanche in a secured location to reduce the risk to travelers below.

Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass is one of Washington’s busiest mountain passes. An average of 34,000 vehicles use it each day, including thousands of trucks moving goods across the state.

When a mountain pass closes, it affects everyone - students, freight haulers, businesses and people taking medical trips. This photo shows I-90 Snoqualmie Pass a few years ago after a big crash that shut the highway. The closure lasted for hours while crews cleaned up and towed vehicles.

That’s why for several years we’ve been working toward replacing our old, inefficient system that forces controlled avalanches on Snoqualmie Pass with safer, more reliable technology. Thanks to one-time funding from the Washington State Legislature (senate bill 5161), this year we finally did.

Ending artillery use on Snoqualmie Pass

Artillery systems have been used to trigger avalanches on Snoqualmie Pass since the 1980s. Our avalanche specialists began operating them when the westbound lanes of I-90 first opened. Over the past 40 years, the team has used several types of artillery for this work, including

• A recoilless rifle
• An M60 tank
• A World War II-era Howitzer (loaned to us from the U.S. Army)

Each system works similarly. They fire a projectile into unstable snow to trigger an avalanche in a controlled manner. After that is complete, our maintenance crews clear the debris and safely reopen the highway to travelers.

While effective, artillery systems like the Howitzer are outdated. They are also costly to lease and near the end of their serviceable life. The older systems also require crews to work closer to explosives than today’s newer systems. Even with strict safety protocols, crews experience risks.

Launching artillery was no small task. Set up alone could close I-90 for up to six hours before firing the first shot. Preparing for extended closures requires significant time and staffing. Travelers must be cleared from the closure area to force the avalanche in a controlled manner. Then we secure the zone to keep people safe and clean up the fallen debris after each operation. Other states have encountered the same challenges and are also phasing out artillery systems in favor of safer, more efficient technologies.

Three team members fire a recoilless rifle along Snoqualmie Pass to force an avalanche. A recoilless rifle is one of several old artillery systems that have been used historically for forcing avalanches on Snoqualmie Pass and around the state.

Enter Remote Avalanche Control systems

This year, we installed a new Remote Avalanche Control system on Snoqualmie Pass. Powered by solar panels, the system allows crews to safely trigger avalanches from miles away from travelers.

Our first tower was installed this year just west of Snoqualmie Pass. Remote Avalanche Control systems are more efficient, reduce mobilization time and are safer for crews to operate than artillery systems.

The benefits are big:

• Faster mobilization : What once took four to six hours can now be ready at a moment’s notice.
• Potentially shorter closures : Avalanche work used to shut down the pass for many hours due to the labor and equipment set up needed. Now, crews may only need 30 minutes to two hours.
• Longer lifespan: The system is expected to last at least 30 years and is not on loan from another state or federal agency. We own it outright.
• Safer operations: Crews can work from a secure distance while still reducing avalanche risk.

We have already seen success with similar remote avalanche control systems on US 2 Stevens Pass. With eight total systems now operating in Washington, we’re joining states like Colorado, Utah, Alaska, Wyoming and California in adopting this modern technology. This is a safer, more effective system than what we were previously using to get the job done.

A worker opens a box that holds 12 explosives. The explosives can be triggered from far away to make a controlled avalanche. By bringing snow down in a calculated way, crews can clear slopes and reduce the risk of an unpredictable slide reaching the roadway.

Our Snoqualmie Pass avalanche team typically conducts several controlled avalanche missions every winter. Each operation requires closing a section of I-90.

“Previously, my crew was less than a foot away from launching artillery systems,” said John Stimberis, WSDOT Avalanche Control Supervisor for Snoqualmie Pass. “Now we’ll be able to force an avalanche in a controlled environment, potentially miles away.”

John has been with our agency for 25 years. He is nationally and globally recognized in the avalanche sector as one of the best and brightest. He graduated from the University of Washington and collaborates with other states, countries, ski resorts and universities on training and expertise. We are grateful to have him leading our program at Snoqualmie Pass.

Beyond remote systems

Avalanche work doesn’t stop with remote systems. Our avalanche team consists of three full-time and two on-call specialists. They rely on other tools to keep mountain highways safe. One method used are trams. These are like ski lifts and are used to place explosives in targeted snowfields. These complement our remote avalanche control systems and give crews options depending on conditions. When weather allows, we may also contract helicopters to drop explosives in hard-to-reach areas. All this work is done in closed locations where traffic is not present. During extreme storms however, helicopter services are often unavailable, so we must rely on other methods.

John holds a green pulley used on a tram to deliver explosives for triggering controlled avalanches.

Unmanaged avalanches can be deadly. While we can’t control the weather, we can reduce risk to travelers and our crews. Our specialists train extensively and follow strict safety protocols. We also partner with groups like the Northwest Avalanche Center, National Weather Service and WeatherNet to forecast storms. Forecast modeling helps inform our maintenance supervisors where to dedicate equipment and crews.

A truck moves salt from a maintenance storage shed during the winter.

When a storm hits, we shift people and equipment to where the need is greatest - a strategy we call “swarming the storm .” Crews work around the clock, even if you don’t always see them. If a plow isn’t on your route at a given moment, chances are it’s clearing another critical area or heading your way. Most snowplows cover anywhere from 40 to 100 miles of roadway per day.

Safer, smarter winters ahead

The new Remote Avalanche Control system is a major step forward in keeping Snoqualmie Pass safer. It allows us to prevent more uncontrolled avalanches. By combining modern technology with decades of expertise, our crew can respond more quickly and work in safer conditions.

That said, travelers should still expect long closures. Most winter highway closures are preventable. Most delays on cross-state routes like I-90, US 2, SR 14 and US 12 are caused by drivers going too fast for conditions, ignoring chain-up requirements or driving impaired or distracted. These behaviors put everyone at risk and lead to unnecessary closures.

How long it takes to open the road depends on many factors: weather patterns, avalanche activity, cleanup operations and sharing of equipment and staff across regions. We make every effort to provide timely, accurate updates, but conditions can change quickly. Follow chain up requirements, slow down on snow and ice and remain alert. Thank you for your patience and partnership in helping keep mountain passes open and safe.

A group of snowplows – what we call “tandem plowing” – clearing State Route 16 in Tacoma. This technique helps clear roadways of snow and ice in one pass.

A passion for demolition derby and maintaining our roads

 By: Elizabeth Mount

At first glance, demolition derby and highway maintenance work don’t have anything in common. But for Monty Lagerwey, demo derby taught him invaluable skills for his career in road maintenance.

Our maintenance workers are embedded in our communities and Monty is an example of learning from his passion and putting it back into our community with road maintenance work.

Demo derby is where modified vehicles purposefully crash into each other until only one is left that can move.

Monty has been a highway maintenance tech in Bellingham for six years. He says he never knows what his days will look like; some days he will repair guardrail or pavement or even plow the roads. But one thing he is sure of: his experience in demo derby taught him how to keep a watchful eye and ear out for oncoming vehicles.

Monty Lagerwey stands in the Bellingham maintenance yard wearing his demo derby shirt.

“When I am driving out on the derby, I have to know where everything is coming from,” he said. “It’s the same when we’re driving equipment down the road. It’s all about paying attention to your surroundings.”

Monty’s little brother was first in the family to get involved in Whatcom County’s demo derby scene. For Monty’s 30th birthday, his brother built him his own derby car – and now, Monty has been derby-ing for 21 years. And it’s a family affair, with three of Monty’s brothers all competing.

Monty and his brother after taking first and second at the demo derby.

This summer, Monty participated in the Northwest Washington Fair demo derby in two categories, or heats, winning the “chain and go” competition.

Chain and go is a category where the vehicles used in the competition have been stripped down, and a variety of chains, wires and welding are used to rebuild it for demo derby. Monty also likes to compete in the big truck competition.

Monty will use a Lincoln Town Car from 1993-97 for the chain and go competition and usually a Suburban for the big truck competition (this year he tried a Ford F350 and thinks he’s convinced to switch over). Every year he learns something new about how his builds hold up in the derby and what to change for the next year.

Monty and his family stand in front of his demo derby car after he won a trophy.

Monty says the mechanical work he learned doing demo derby has also helped with his work at WSDOT.

“Building demo derby cars, I learned how to fabricate things,” he said. “I have been able to transfer that knowledge to WSDOT in regard to figuring out how to bolt and weld.”

In chain and go, the battery and fuel tank are moved inside the vehicle. They are welded or chained in place. Monty also will punch out the windows, build a roll cage, modify where the engine is and create specific creases in his cars where he wants it to bend if it’s hit.

He says whether you’re working with one other person or a team, demo derby taught him how to work with other people. Monty works alongside his teammates to get better after each heat. He compares it to working alongside his maintenance crew.

Monty says it took him 18 years before he won a competition. He would get second or third place often, but he kept at it and has won a handful of derbies now.

At the end of the day, Monty loves to put on a good show for anyone who takes the time and money to go to a derby.

The One Where We Remind You Life Is Gonna Be This Way (for a while)

By: RB McKeon

Monica Gellar with a turkey on her head standing in the kitchen talking to Chandler Bing from the FRIENDS episode, The One With All The Thanksgivings.

This summer, northbound I-5 across the Ship Canal Bridge was down to two lanes 24/7 for four weeks and it was a big shift on Seattle’s busiest freeway. And while it wasn’t easy, you adjusted. People tried new routes, left earlier or later and even hopped on transit.

What did we observe?

Even with major summer events like the Torchlight Parade, Seafair weekend, back-to-back concerts at Lumen Field and countless Seattle sports games, the region kept moving. That was thanks to choices travelers made and the coordination of city partners, transit agencies and first responders who added service, supported traffic flow and helped keep things running smoothly.

What did we accomplish?

During those four weeks, crews resurfaced nearly 20 percent or about 900 feet of the northbound bridge deck, replaced five expansion joints and installed 94 drains and scuppers (drains built specifically for the bridge curb) to prepare for rainy weather. The work gave us a closer look at the bridge deck and set us up for what’s next.

Hydromilling machine removes a second, deeper layer of the bridge deck

What’s next?

Starting Oct. 10, we shift the focus to the southbound lanes to finish drainage improvements. Crews will saw-cut concrete, jackhammer holes, place drainage and pour concrete to lock everything in place. To do this safely, southbound I-5 across the Ship Canal Bridge, from about the Northeast 45th Street/Northeast 50th Street off-ramp to the SR 520 interchange, will be reduced to two lanes on six weekends:

Oct. 10–13
Oct. 17–20
Oct. 31–Nov. 3
Nov. 21–24
Dec. 5–8
Jan. 9–12

Lane reductions begin as early as 10 p.m. Fridays and all lanes reopen by 5 a.m. Mondays. We’ve again worked with our partners to select these weekends based on what’s happening in Seattle, and of course, to avoid the holidays, although we will work the weekend before Thanksgiving 2025.

The express lanes will be your best friend: they’ll run southbound 24/7 all weekend and as a reminder they’re open to all drivers. You can enter at all the regular locations starting at Northgate, with the first exit at Mercer Street and rejoining I-5 near the Chinatown-International District. If you’re heading north, just know the lanes won’t flip so you may see extra delays.

Map showing the lane reductions on southbound I-5 planned over the course of six weekends. The express lanes are shown operating in the direction of the closure.

This fall’s work is another key step toward the bigger job ahead: major bridge deck work in 2026 (northbound) and 2027 (southbound). The lessons we learned this summer about timing, traffic patterns, and how the system responds are helping us plan ahead so we can keep Seattle moving through this major preservation work.

A busy summer, indeed! A recap of highway maintenance accomplishments across Washington

 By: Tina Werner

Whether you visited an ocean beach, rode a ferry to the San Juan Islands, camped at Riverside State Park or stopped by the Grand Coulee Dam this summer – chances are you encountered orange cones and work zones. Some of those were for new construction projects, but many others were our own highway maintenance crews. These crews work hard to keep Washington’s roadways, bridges, tunnels, overpasses and rest areas safe and reliable.

What does all that summer work look like? How about repairing 1.8 million square feet of pavement, installing 125,000 pavement reflectors and restocking 3,000 miles’ worth of toilet paper in rest areas? And that’s just to name a few highlights. (See details below).

State Route 99 maintenance crews in Seattle test the system that detects excess heat in the tunnel. If a car overheats or there is a fire in the tunnel, the system activates several safety systems to protect travelers and emergency responders. They test this as part of their regular maintenance and inspection duties.

Highway maintenance workers

Nearly 1,500 maintenance workers are stationed across the state, from Othello to Port Orchard and Chehalis to Pullman. Their responsibilities are broad and often behind the scenes. Consider just a part of what they help manage and maintain:

• 18,700 lane miles of highway 
• 47 safety rest areas
• 3,400 state-owned and maintained bridges
• 1,200 traffic signal locations
• 3,400 highway lights
• 14,000 active or real-time pieces of equipment like electronic highway signs, electrical transformers, road weather information systems and traffic cameras.
• Nearly 100,000 acres of rights of way

 Specialized crews installed thousands of new reflectors along I-5 from the King/Pierce county line to the U.S.–Canada border (excluding active construction zones), improving visibility and roadway safety.

And their work? Some of our highway maintenance crews keep safety rest areas clean and operational. Others perform routine bridge or tunnel maintenance, such as the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge or the SR 25 Northport Bridge in Stevens County. Crews also fix potholes, repair damaged guardrail hit by drivers, mow grass to ensure clear sightlines for travelers, inspect catch basins and address invasive plants along our rights of way. In many parts of the state, they also are first responders to crash scenes, working side-by-side with law enforcement and tow trucks. They partner with local jurisdictions to jointly clean on- and off-ramps, along with the state departments of Ecology or Corrections. They share work zone safety tips with thousands of attendees at the Washington State Fair, alongside the Washington State Patrol and other partners. And, if we are lucky, they even act in some of our very own TikTok videos showcasing our snowplows.

A summer’s worth of work

Winter is often focused on snow and ice, but summer is when crews take care of their laundry-list of improvements. Here’s an overview of things they accomplished from June 1 through Aug. 31 (drum roll please) ….

• 11,542 lane miles of road stripes painted to keep roads clearly marked.
• 9,796 square feet of potholes patched to provide a smoother ride for travelers.
• 1.8 million square feet of pavement repairs were completed.
• 18,044 feet of guardrail replaced – even though damage outpaces the resources we have to repair it.
• 125,000 reflectors installed along I-5 from the Pierce/King county line to the U.S./Canada border (outside of active construction zones).
• 16,942 miles of roadsides mowed/cleared (about 10,268 acres) to improve visibility and control invasive plants.
• 1,178 hazardous or deceased trees removed to keep roads safe and improve visibility.
• 3,000 miles of toilet paper dispensed at rest areas – enough to stretch from Seattle to New York. (This is an average based on six squares per person.)
• 40,000 hours cleaning rest areas to support safe summer travels.
• 9,937 catch basins inspected and cleared to keep stormwater flowing. This work is critical, especially before the rainy season.
• 315 culverts repaired, separate from our fish passage work which is part of new construction projects.
• 3,765 miles of roadway swept to clear small debris.
• 327,354 square feet of graffiti removed.
• 335 tons of trash collected - equal to nearly 44,650 full litter bags. ( Maintenance crews dispose of the bags/Litter is picked up by Ecology crews and Adopt-A-Highway volunteers .)
• All told, 53,000 unique work entries for highway maintenance were logged statewide.

In August, crews completed annual summer maintenance on SR 18 between Issaquah-Hobart Road and Deep Creek. Work included pavement repairs, mowing and sign and guardrail repairs.

This summer, crews replaced a damaged attenuator along SR 18. Attenuators act as buffers that absorb the impact in crashes, improving safety.

Maintenance crews repair potholes along eastbound I-90 in Spokane Valley. This work was done at night, when there is less traffic.

Crews use a vactor truck to vacuum up and clean out a storm drain along I-90 near downtown Spokane.

Taking care of what we have

The reality is that despite all this work, we have far more highway maintenance needs than resources. Lawmakers set our budget priorities, and we focus first on our most critical safety work instead of aesthetically pleasing ones. Our funding also often has specific rules about how it can be used. For example, construction dollars cannot be redirected to day-to-day maintenance work. We also must maintain a balanced budget at the end of each biennium. That means if winter costs are higher than expected, spring work is often reduced or cut to keep everything in that specific budget balanced. Rising costs of materials, global supply chain issues and an aging transportation system all make this work even more challenging.

Give ‘em a Brake

As we transition from summer maintenance to winter operations, please remember to slow down in work zones or wherever you see our crews. Our workers are people just like you – and many are also volunteer firefighters and youth sports coaches in their communities. They all want to return safely to their loved ones at the end of the day. Putting down the phone, staying alert and never driving impaired are all basic steps you can take to help make that possible.

Crews fill large wire baskets with rocks and place them at the bottom of the SR 25 Northport Bridge in Stevens County to help stop the soil from washing away.

Join us

Does this work and photos we shared look like fun? If you’re looking for work that makes a difference in communities across Washington, we’re hiring! Learn more about joining our highway maintenance team online.

Washington State Ferries summer report card: How’d we do?

 By Bryn Hunter

As students head back to school and focus on report cards, we’re reflecting on our own. This summer was our busiest season since 2019, and Washington State Ferries was tested with its toughest challenge yet—restoring full 18-boat domestic service.

Last spring we announced added sailings on three routes: Seattle/Bremerton, Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth and Port Townsend/Coupeville. This was a big deal for our customers. Systemwide, it meant nearly 10% more service , or about 4,000 added sailings during the peak season. That meant a lot more options for our customers to sail with us.

But there were concerns that increased service might mean more canceled trips due to crewing availability, or more boats out of service for repairs and unplanned maintenance.

So, with all that in mind, how’d it go?

To be honest, pretty great.

From June 15 through Sept. 21, 2025, we measured the following:

Ridership: The number of drivers and vehicles combined with vehicle and walk-on passengers.

On-time performance: The percentage of sailings departing within 10 minutes of their scheduled departure time (our goal is at least 95%).

We added almost 50% more service on the Seattle/Bremerton route and saw nearly 150,000 more passengers use the route this summer. About 30,000 more passengers rode the Port Townsend/Coupeville route with added service as well. The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route was restored to a more reliable daily three-boat schedule two weeks into our summer season, causing on-time performance for the season to go from 73.6% last year to 85.7% this year.

Throughout the system we had almost 500,000 more passengers ride the ferries this summer compared to Summer 2024. That’s a 7.4% increase. Even with added service we also increased our overall on time performance from 71.6% in 2024 to 76.7% this summer.

We maintained all this service using our updated Service Contingency Plan published early this year.

We also tracked the two things we had concerns about. One was cancelled sailings due to crew shortages. The other was vessels that were taken out of service unexpectedly. We had 191 canceled sailings due to lack of crewing, down from 617 last summer. Canceled trips because of unexpected vessel outages totaled 134, compared to 65 in 2024.

We saw a clear drop in crew-related cancellations compared to summer 2024. That shows our hiring and training efforts paying off. Even with a worldwide mariner shortage and many pending retirements, we are building the workforce we need. We’re investing in the engine room, deck crew and terminal staff of the future and seeing the results of that today.

We also had 18 of our 21 ferries in service while building the next generation of ferries. For now, we have fewer ferries than we would like. But thanks to the hard work and creativity of our engine room employees and Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility team, we can still offer this level of service while we wait for new ferries.

As we head into fall, we’re encouraging ferry riders to plan ahead using some of our travel tips. We just posted our updated best times to travel charts. And as always, you can check out our real-time map, and rider alerts, or follow us on X or Bluesky for updated service information pages. Not sure about how best to ride a route? Contact our customer service department and an agent can help you plan your trip.

Happy sailing! And thanks for choosing Washington State Ferries.

Southbound I-5 and sections of SR 18 and I-90 in King County to close Sept. 26-29

by: Sidney Orr 

***EDIT September 26, 2025: 

The closure of southbound I-405 between SR 900/East Sunset Boulevard and SR 167 is canceled due to equipment issues and will be rescheduled to another weekend. The post below has been updated to remove this closure. All other highway closures are still happening.

*****

Make your weekend game plan now!

The University of Washington Huskies play the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Sept. 27. But starting Friday night, Sept. 26, our crews will also hit the field with big construction work across King County. Closures will last through Monday, Sept. 29. As crews tackle their work, drivers should make a game plan too.

Huddle up! Here’s the starting lineup:

I-5 southbound through Kent and Des Moines

• Southbound I-5 will close from SR 516/Kent Des Moines Road to South 272nd Street. The southbound SR 509 expressway will also close from 24th Avenue South to I-5.
• Game time: 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29.
• Game plan: Crews will replace 60 worn-out concrete panels.
• Local drivers can detour using SR 99 or Military Road South. For longer trips, southbound SR 167 will stay open.

Cancelled: I-405 southbound through Renton

• Southbound I-405 will close from North Southport Drive/Sunset Boulevard Northeast to SR 167.
• Game time: 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, to 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29.
• Game plan: Crews will put in new drainage, pave the road and shift lanes.
• Drivers will follow a signed detour route on Sunset Boulevard Northeast.
• Work may be rescheduled if rain is forecast.
• This work is part of the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes project.

I-90 westbound through Issaquah

• Reduced near Front Street.
• The Front Street on-ramp to westbound I-90 will also close.
• Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, to 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 28.
• Game plan: Crews will repair bridges.
• Work may be rescheduled if rain is forecast.
• This work is part of the I-90 westbound SR 900 to East Sunset Way Paving and Expansion Joint Replacement project.

SR 18 westbound in Auburn

• Westbound SR 18 reduced to one lane from 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, to 1 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 28. The Auburn Way South on-ramp to westbound SR 18 will close at the same time.
• Game time: All lanes will close from 2 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29. Westbound SR 18 traffic must exit to Auburn Way South but may use the on-ramp back onto the highway.
• Game plan: Crews will replace bridge joints.
• Westbound SR 18 traffic must exit to Auburn Way South during the full closure but may use the on-ramp back onto the highway.

• Work may be rescheduled if rain is forecast.

• This work is part of the SR 18 C Street Southwest to Green River Paving and Joint Replacement project.

Getting around

With all this work, here are the best ways to make sure you cross the goal line:

• Avoid delay of game: If you can, leave earlier or later in the day to avoid heavy traffic on detour routes.
• Call a timeout: Delay non-essential trips to help keep traffic moving – remember it’s a great weekend to watch football from your couch.
• Always remember teamwork: Taking transit or carpooling will also reduce congestion on local and regional detours.

Know before you go

While this is our playbook, it's not the full game plan. Travelers are encouraged to check travel times on the Travel Center map, WSDOT mobile app and following the agency’s social media accounts.