LACEY, Wash. — Commuters in the South Sound will soon have to deal with more I-5 construction as the state prepares to build a new interchange that Washington drivers haven't seen before.
The state is building what’s called a diverging diamond interchange at the Marvin Road I-5 overpass in Lacey.
Those who want to learn more about the new traffic configuration are invited to stop by Salish Middle School Tuesday to learn more from 5 to 7 p.m.
A video from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s YouTube channel shows what the new flow of traffic will soon look like.
One key component to the design is free left turns onto I-5 once drivers are on the overpass, also known as SR 510.
It will be the first interchange of its kind in Washington and WSDOT says it’s designed to reduce the number of crashes and reduce congestion.
Construction on the $72 million project will begin later this summer and is expected to be completed in 2020.
The new interchange comes as the City of Lacey projects more than 20,000 people and hundreds of new jobs will be coming into the area through 2035.
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