I-90 Paving Project Starts Next Week Dot Advises Drivers To Use Alternate Routes

The Washington State Department of Transportation will begin repaving a four-mile stretch of Interstate 90 through the Valley next week.

Drivers should expect delays, and may want to take an alternative route, DOT officials said.

Work will begin Tuesday, if the weather is dry.

Crews will grind down the roadway between the Sprague Avenue exit and the Pines Road exit and put down a new layer of asphalt. The project, which will cost between $750,000 and $1 million, will smooth out the badly rutted stretch of the highway, DOT said.

Crews will start in the inside eastbound lane, work for about two days, then move to the inside westbound lane for about two days.

Once the inside lanes are completed, workers will move to the outside eastbound lane and ramps and then to the outside westbound lane and ramps.

Crews will work from 4:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Work may take place on Saturday. The paving can only be done in dry conditions.

About 60,000 vehicles travel this section of I-90 each day, said Al Gilson, DOT spokesman.

A second project, on I-90 near Havana Street, will delay westbound traffic and close two on-ramps Sunday morning.

Crews will be installing electronic equipment for a commute time study. The westbound Sprague Avenue on-ramp and westbound Fancher Road on-ramp will be closed between 5 and 9 a.m. and westbound I-90 traffic could be reduced to one lane during that time. , DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PAVING SCHEDULE Plans call for Interstate 90 repaving work to be done from 4:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Tuesday. The work will involve the stretch of highway between the Sprague exit and Pines Road. A second project will close the westbound on-ramps for Sprague and Fancher on Sunday morning.