Study Purpose

In collaboration with TRPC and local partners, WSDOT is studying transportation system performance on I-5 through Tumwater, Olympia and Lacey. The study area extends from the SR 121/93rd Avenue SE/Tilley Road Interchange in Tumwater to Mounts Road just east of the Nisqually River. This segment of highway travels through Tumwater, Olympia and Lacey and is a major freight and commuter corridor. This section of I-5 experiences congestion, recurring delay, and unreliable travel times. Multiple factors contribute to these issues such as traffic volumes and merging at interchanges. WSDOT's goal is to recommend a set of performance-based strategies to achieve the following outcomes in the study area over the next 20 years:

• Improve travel times and make them more predictable
• Increase the ability of I-5 to efficiently and equitably move people and goods
• Improve access to industrial and commercial areas and job sites
• Protect and enhance the environment including reducing the transportation-related impact on wildlife habitat in the Nisqually River delta
• Improve the transportation system's ability to operate during and recover from disruptions such as traffic incidents