As summertime paving ramps up, travelers on Interstate 5 and U.S. Highway 12 in Lewis County will soon notice smoother, more reliable trips, according to a news release from the Washington state Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
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.
The work is part of a larger pavement preservation effort taking place along nearly 100 lane miles of I-5 and U.S. Highway 12 throughout Lewis County.
A lane mile measures the amount of roadway being improved. For example, a one-mile section of freeway with three lanes equals three 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 state Route 505
• 23 lane miles of U.S. Highway 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,” WSDOT Project Engineer Pedro Reyes said in the release. “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.”
Most paving work will occur on weeknights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Some weekend nighttime lane closures may also be needed, according to the release. Speed limits may be reduced through active work zones.
More paving in and around Lewis County extends beyond the above-mentioned projects. WSDOT maintenance crews are also repaving a seven-mile section of U.S. Highway 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 Highway 12 between I-5 and Packwood.
