LYNNWOOD, MAY 19: Lynnwood drivers – some good developing news!
Interstate-5 dissects the city, leaving only a small select number of roadways that manage to cross the interstate, making driving through Lynnwood much more challenging. 164th Street SW, Alderwood Mall Pkwy, 196th Street SW, and 44th Ave W are always seemingly busy and overwhelmed with traffic. 52nd Ave W, 212th Street SW, and Maple Rd round out the cross I-5 roadways in the city.
To help resolve this ‘how to cross Lynnwood’ problem and after more than 20 years in the works, Lynnwood has begun to build a new cross I-5 overpass. Looking at a map, north-south oriented Poplar Way on the south side of I-5, and north-south running 33rd Ave W north of I-5 line up perfectly, offering another means to more easily cross I-5.
Construction has started on this new overpass. Debris removal and moving dirt has begun. As part of the two year project, the intersections of Poplar and 196th, as well as 33rd Ave W and Alderwood Mall Blvd will need to rise up to 4 feet to provide enough clearance over the interstate highway.
In 2027, overpass girders will be installed over I-5. Most of this work will involve overnight hours to help limit traffic disruptions. The project price tag is about $70 million.
Once completed in 2028, drivers will be able to move from Briar north on Poplar Way direct to the west side of the Alderwood Mall. Drivers on the north side can also go across I-5 without having to take the current more crowded surface streets. The new overpass should take a lot of traffic pressure off nearby arterials such as 196th.
Road statistics reveal the 196th I-5 overpass carries 50,000 to 60,000 vehicles each day while the population of Lynnwood is just over 40,000. The new overpass connecting Poplar Way and 33rd Ave W. is anticipated to involve over 30,000 vehicles per day, taking some traffic burden away from other cross I-5 arterials.
So getting to and from Alderwood Mall, Edmonds College, the Lynnwood business district and more, should get easier to reach once this new overpass opens in 2028.
