Paving the way for smoother travel in Lewis County

Nearly 100 lane miles of I-5 and US 12 are being improved this summer

CENTRALIA - As summertime paving ramps up, travelers on Interstate 5 and US 12 in Lewis County will soon notice smoother, more reliable trips. But the road to get there will be a bit bumpy as crews work to repair worn pavement in several locations through Sept. 2026.

On Wednesday, July 15, Washington State Department of Transportation contractor Kerr Contractors Oregon, LLC, began paving in both directions of I-5 between Koontz Road and south of Alder Street near Centralia. This work is part of a larger pavement preservation effort taking place along nearly 100 lane miles of I-5 and US 12 throughout Lewis County.

A lane mile measures the amount of roadway being improved. For example, a 1 mile section of freeway with three lanes equals 3 lane miles of pavement.

Paving work in Lewis County includes:

• 11 lane miles of I-5 between Koontz Road and south of Alder Street.
• 24 lane miles of I-5 between Rogers Road and SR 505.
• 23 lane miles of US 12 between I-5 and Harms Road.
• 40 lane miles of I-5 between Koontz Road and the State Route 507 interchange.

Last summer, crews completed paving along this corridor. They returned earlier this summer to repair four bridges along the same stretch of I-5: the Newaukum River, Rush Road, Dillenbaugh Creek and Salzer Creek bridges.

"Maintaining our highways before they need major repairs is one of the best investments we can make," said WSDOT Project Engineer Pedro Reyes. "By coordinating several projects at the same time, we're shortening the overall time travelers would normally be affected, and providing smoother highways, more reliable travel and fewer disruptions in the years ahead."

What to expect

Travelers should plan for:

• Daytime and nighttime lane closures on I-5 and US 12 during active construction.
• Most paving work will occur on weeknights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Some weekend nighttime lane closures may also be needed.
• Speed limits may be reduced through active work zones.
• Expect delays, especially when traffic is reduced to a single lane.

Paving work depends on dry, warm weather and schedules may change at any time.

More paving in and around Lewis County

Pavement work extends beyond the above-mentioned projects. WSDOT maintenance crews are also repaving a 7-mile section of US 12 between Chapman Road in Morton and Stover Road in Packwood. Combined with the work on I-5, these projects will improve an additional 37 lane miles of US 12 between I-5 and Packwood.

Just north of Lewis County, contractor crews will repave nearly 7 miles of I-5 between Grand Mound and Maytown, including highway ramps and the Scatter Creek and Maytown rest area parking lots.

Together, these projects represent one of the largest pavement preservation efforts in Southwest Washington. By the end of summer over 100 lane miles in total, will be smoother, safer and more reliable for all travelers in and around Lewis County.