Smooth operators: Paving isn’t just a summer fling for our highways

By:  Angela Cochran and Adrienne Hatmaker

When you think about what makes a good thirst trap, hot asphalt may not be at the top of your list (each to their own). But one thing most of us can agree on is the love of a smooth ride. And the way we get that smooth ride? Paving projects.

If the video doesn’t convince you, just think about all the fresh, sparkly black asphalt along I-5, US 101 and State Routes 16, 3, 512 and 410. Our paving contractors repaired 82 miles of pavement in Thurston, Pierce, Kitsap and Mason counties within a short summer timeframe. We have to pave in summer because asphalt requires warm, dry weather to form properly. Also, the permanent pavement markings we apply to the roadway will not stick if it’s raining too much. This is why you may still see work happening on some highways. We are getting the job done whenever there’s a window in the weather.

Traffic is reduced to a single lane on US 101 while construction crews prepare to grind and pave the left lane near Kamilche.

Preserving our highways

Paving projects are part of our preservation work that helps keep people moving. So, what exactly does that mean? Preservation projects provide the long-term and longer-lasting work required for the overall life of a roadway. It’s one of our top statewide transportation policy goals. These goals guide our daily work. The conditions of our roadways are deteriorating faster than we can repair or replace them. And it is true the needs and costs for preservation outpace current funding.

Construction crews repaved sections of I-5 between Maytown Road and Plum Street in summer 2025.

Specific to state highways, 40% of lane miles across the state are overdue for new pavement.

When you travel on these highways, you may notice that some lanes were repaved, but others were not. We have a set amount of funding we can spend on preservation every two years. We are not legally allowed to over spend that budget. This means we have to be very strategic on where we pave. For these paving projects, we analyzed each highway and focused on the lanes in most need of repair. We use software that tracks the age and condition of the pavement. It helps determine the best time to do a preservation project and maximize the life of the pavement.

Types of pavement

Pavement preservation is broken into three main types of pavements: concrete, asphalt and chip seals. Asphalt makes up nearly half of our highways (48% of state highways – statewide number). The rest are divided between concrete and chip seals. You may remember some chip seal projects in summer 2024. This year, we focused on asphalt.

The big difference between the types of pavement is how long they last. Asphalt typically has a lifespan of 10-15 years in our area. That doesn’t mean we should only repave every 10-15 years though. In fact, the longer we wait, the more materials and time are needed to restore the pavement, which makes the cost go up.

Construction crews operate paving equipment at night on SR 16 near Gig Harbor.

Being able to restore 82 miles of pavement in four counties this summer is one small step in bringing our highways into a state of good repair. We appreciate travelers help in keeping crews safe during this work. If you would like to get updates on highway projects happening in your area, sign up for email updates. We also have real-time travel information on our app and statewide travel map.