The transformation of Interstate 5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) is making noticeable strides, having hit the one-year mark since construction kicked off. This sweeping project is set to enhance the commute experience with extended HOV lanes, a new overpass, and a roundabout on Steilacoom-DuPont Road—all eyes set on a 2026 completion date.
Delving into the past year's developments, lanes have been realigned to make way for the toil of construction crews. Major shifts can be seen with the I-5 bridge over Pendleton Avenue getting a boost and broadening on its northbound side, tailored specifically to make room for an upcoming HOV lane, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Adjacent to this, the landscape has seen the emergence of noise walls southeast of I-5 along JBLM, designed to dampen the hum of freeway traffic for neighboring communities. Onlookers might also glimpse the nascent roundabout north of Barksdale Station and the initial structures that foretell the coming of a new Steilacoom-DuPont Road overpass.
The new infrastructure also promises enhanced safety features, notably the partial diverging diamond interchange that will ultimately link Steilacoom-DuPont Road with JBLM and I-5. This interchange is expected to significantly curtail travel times by obliterating the standstills currently caused by train crossings.
