Pacific Northwest 7 April 5, 2026

Last Part of I-5 Improvement Project Aims for Fall Finish

By Lori Tobias

The final portion of a multiphase effort to combat congestion on a busy stretch of Washington’s Interstate 5 is under way and on target for completion in late fall 2026.

The $240 million I-5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-Dupont Road Corridor Improvements project is next to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of the largest military installations on the West Coast.

“We are diligent in working with Joint Base Lewis-McChord to make sure they understand what’s happening and what their needs are, so we can take care of the take care of the people who are taking care of our country,” Doug Adamson, a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) told Construction Equipment Guide. “A lot of this work has involved parts of the Interstate 5 access going onto Joint Base Lewis-McChord itself. In months, we’re going to be rebuilding the gate, which serves so many soldiers, military contractors and other people who are going on to the base at that time. So, it’s an awful lot of work.”

The project — the third in a series of projects to widen I-5 — includes the construction of a new overpass at exit 119, which will be the third diverging diamond overpass in the state.

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Crews Complete Fish Movement Barrier Work On U.S. 101

Crews completed major construction efforts on a multi-year project to improve fish movement, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The work removed barriers to fish under U.S. 101 in Jefferson and Clallam counties. Kiewit Corp. is the contractor.

The estimated $144.8 million project balanced the need for keeping people moving while excavating entire sections of the highway.

Work began in summer 2023 at Eagle Creek near Gardiner.

Crews removed aging culverts that fish could not navigate at six locations. Replacing these outdated culverts with new structures opens a combined 15 mi. of potential habitat for fish.

Aside from Eagle Creek, other sites included Chicken Coop Creek, an unnamed tributary to Sequim Bay, Contractors Creek, an unnamed tributary to Sequim Bay 2 and Johnson Creek.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife had identified these sites as barriers to salmon migration and other resident fish species.

WSDOT kept people moving during the work by building temporary twolane bypass roads.

While people used the bypass roads, crews dug through the roadway in each location. At five locations, workers built new bridges. The sixth location received a larger culvert. The project

also included rebuilding streams to help fish at all life cycles.

The work is part of WSDOT’s commitment to remove barriers to fish under state highways. Since 1991, WSDOT has worked to improve fish passage and foster healthy waterways by removing barriers under the highway.

In addition to WSDOT’s ongoing work to correct statewide barriers, a 2013 federal court injunction requires the state to correct barrier culverts to salmon and steelhead within the injunction area in western Washington.

Crews rebuilt streambeds at each location. Workers installed logs and root wads in the stream. Both provide refuge and resting areas for fish. Native plants also were installed.

The plants provide important nutrients and shade. Workers finished landscaping and final touches in midDecember.

When the weather is warm and dry enough, crews will return to repair the roadway near Blyn. 

(All photos courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.)

Perry Technical Breaks Ground On $21M Yakima Expansion

Perry Technical Institute broke ground on March 19, 2026, on a new expansion program designed to create more opportunities in the Yakima Valley, according to applevalleynewsnow.com.

The new 42,000-sq.-ft. Washington Fruit and Produce Technology Center will house the institute's two-year electrical technology program. Building features will include seven classrooms, seven labs and a rooftop solar lab.

“With today's electrification, it's neat that we are adding more solar technology,” said Jason Lamiquiz, president of Perry Tech. “And it's great to see that new emerging technology is being infused into our program so we can better prepare our students for the workforce they will ultimately be employed in.”

Lamiquiz said that the solar lab will help create jobs for local projects, including one

in the Moxee area, according to applevalleynewsnow.com.

Although the general contractor wasn’t

Derek Merrill, who co-owns Primary Electric, will perform the electrical work for the new center.

“It means a lot,” Merrill said to applevalleynewsnow.com. “We’re real proud to be able to work on the new building at Perry Tech, especially the electric technology building. I graduated here in ‘02, and to be able to come back here and build and drill the success of Perry Tech’s success, it means a lot.” Lamiquiz believes the expansion can help take Perry Tech, and the Yakima Valley, to the next level.

“It’s income mobility,” Lamiquiz said. “You think of the opportunities that our graduates have with their incomes being able to increase after completing a program at Perry Tech — the sky’s the limit.” Construction is expected to conclude in June 2027, according to applevalleynewsnow.com. With the electrical technology program moving to the new building, other programs at Perry Tech will be able to expand into the vacated space. 

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Meridian, Idaho, Breaks Ground On Community Center

Meridian Parks and Recreation and the Meridian Fire Department co-hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s new $21 million community center and an expansion of Settlers Park on Feb. 19, 2026, at the future building’s site just west of the Settler Park ball field complex off North Venable Avenue.

Kreizenbeck Construction will serve as the project’s construction manager.

The 26,000-sq.-ft. building, whose design and construction are primarily funded by impact fees collected from building permits rather than tax dollars, will serve as the city’s hub for community education programs offered through the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department.

“We’re thrilled to break ground on the new community center and the expansion of Settlers Park,” said Meridian Parks and Recreation Director Steve Siddoway. “The community helped shape this project every step of the way, and we can’t wait to see Meridian families and people of all ages enjoying the space for years to come — whether that’s staying active, trying something new, or simply connecting with friends and neighbors.”

The new community center, designed by the architectural firm Cushing Terrell, will

feature a reception area, a gymnasium with a small stage, two fitness rooms, several multipurpose and specialized classrooms and flexible meeting spaces where classes, camp and activities can be held year-round. It will have roll-up doors to connect indoor spaces with an outdoor patio area.

The building also will be home to the Meridian Fire Outreach Center. Meridian Fire Department staff will utilize this space to provide programs dedicated to fire safety education, CPR training, and other commu-

nity risk reduction programs.

The new building will replace the aging 4,000-sq.-ft. Meridian Community Center, built in the early 1960s and located in downtown Meridian, which is no longer adequate to serve a population of Meridian’s size.

The Settlers Park expansion will feature a fenced dog park, open green space, pathways and a playground. The city of Meridian is also partnering with Meridian Youth Baseball/Softball to create 347 new parking spaces to help accommodate patrons of both

the new community center and the many activities and athletic events that regularly take place in Settlers Park.

In conjunction with the community center construction and park expansion, the city is pursuing a partnership to signalize the intersection of West Ustick Road and North Venable Avenue to enhance driver and pedestrian safety and improve traffic flow.

The new community center and park expansion are projected to be completed in late 2027 or early 2028.

WSU Students Take Third at Construction Competition

A Washington State University student team took a top prize in the recent Associated Schools of Construction competition, the largest construction management competition in the United States.

More than 1,740 students from 55 universities and 22 states participated in the competition, which was held in Reno, Nev. The competition requires students to solve complex problems in less than 24 hours, present proposals and participate in a rigorous question-andanswer session in a business-like setting.

A WSU team, coached by Professor Jason Peschel and sponsored by Howard S. Wright Construction, won third place in the commercial category, which consisted of 19 teams from schools in California, Oregon and Washington.

As part of the competition, sponsored by Hensel Phelps Construction Co., the students used construction management skills such as scheduling, estimating, site logistics, site safety, and technical writing to develop a proposal for a real-life construction problem. The student team included Shaaki Shaik, Logan Prouse, Collin Murray, Zach Vernon, Molly Mahoney and Garrett Nelson, with alternates Collin Smith and Breyden Lane.

WSU also had teams competing in the design-build and heavy civil categories. The teams are predominantly construction management students, but there were architec-

ture students on the design-build and construction engineering students on the heavy civil teams.

“The students work hard preparing for this event and put some lofty goals on themselves. Their

efforts have manifested into a tradition of success wherein the commercial team has been on the podium in 12 of the last 15 years,” Peschel said. “There is such strong competition that having a team place is a wonderful statement about the strength of the program, the coaches, and the students. To that point, the judges indicated this year that the scoring difference between 1st and 3rd place was one point out of 200 total.”

Several industry partners, including Exxel Pacific, Howard S. Wright, Mortenson, Graham and Holland Construction provided financial support, workshops, and/or practice problems for the WSU student teams before the competition.

“We are extremely thankful for the fantastic industry support that we have here at WSU,” Peschel said. “Our students are fortunate to get such amazing help in preparation for the competition. They are gaining invaluable skills and experiences that they will bring to the classroom and their careers.”

Projects Increases Access to Joint Base Lewis-McChord

The new overpass will allow for the creation of new HOV lanes. Once the project is complete, both north and south travel lanes of I-5 will have HOV lanes between Mounts Road and Gravelly Lake Drive.

The existing overpass was built in 1957. It is classified as “poor condition” and does not meet current vertical clearance standards from I-5. The design-build project was awarded to partners Guy F. Atkinson Construction and Jacobs Engineering Group.

Among the numerous challenges is keeping the interstate open, Adamson said.

“A lot of the work has really focused on keeping three lanes in both directions open the entire time as we rebuild this overpass,” he said. “And really, when you’re doing that type of construction in an area that has so many people, it’s almost like building an airplane while you’re flying it. This area has, on average, 134,000 vehicles a day, and that’s a lot of people.”

Another challenge is the notoriously wet Pacific Northwest weather.

“It is very difficult to keep this type of work going when you are working in soup, when you are working in that much mud,”

Adamson said. “Our designbuilder, Atkinson, has done a very good job staging and has worked very diligently to keep the project moving. We are fully expecting to finish on time in late fall.”

The new overpass opened in

Crews installed 13 girders over Interstate 5 during April 2025. The girders make up the backbone of the new I-5 overpass that will connect the city of DuPont and Joint Base Lewis McChord.

late March with the demolition of the old bridge scheduled for early April with overnight lane closures and detours in place. Once the original overpass is removed, crews will finish widening I-5 to extend the HOV lanes that will open later this summer, according to WSDOT.

Other work includes a newly completed three-way intersection north of the railroad crossing at Wilmington Drive and Barksdale Avenue. Future changes include:

• A new sidewalk that connects Wilmington Drive to SteilacoomDuPont Road for people walking or rolling to or from Barksdale Station.

• The addition of a left turn lane into Barksdale Station, and the removal of the existing concrete median curb.

• Dedicated left turn lanes to and from the Historic Village.

The I-5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-DuPont Road Corridor Improvements project is part of a

The last 17 girders for the new Steilacoom-DuPont overpass were set the week of Sept. 15, 2025.

suite of the I-5 Mounts Road to Thorne Lake Corridor Improvements project. The previous improvements include:

• Rebuilding the Berkeley Street and Thorne Lane interchanges, which include improved access for people who walk, bike and roll.

• Adding new HOV lanes and auxiliary lanes in both directions of I-5.

“We are in the last final push to make significant upgrades to a large section of Interstate 5 in Pierce County,” Adamson said.

“Among all of these projects, we’ve done a lot to rebuild inter-

changes, to put in pedestrian improvements and for people who are bicycling and people who are in mobility assistance devices to get from one side of I-5 to the other. We’ve had chronic congestion through the area for years. In this this final Interstate 5, we’re heading towards the goal line to get the project completed.”

The I-5 corridor work is part of the $16 billion Connect Washington transportation revenue package approved by the Washington State Legislature in 2015.  CEG (All photos courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.)

Anna Martin’s journey into the ironworking trade began 16 years ago with a desire to provide a better life for herself.

She joined the Iron Workers Local 29 apprenticeship program in Portland, Ore., where she quickly developed a deep respect for the skill, strength and teamwork that define the industry.

Being an ironworker is challenging, but it’s rewarding work that literally shapes the skyline of our communities, and Martin is proud to be part of that tradition.

Today, Martin also serves as the director and co-founder of U-PACT Oregon, a registered pre-apprenticeship program designed to prepare incarcerated women and men reentering society for successful careers in the construction trades. U-PACT provides hands-on exposure to multiple trades, industry certifications, life skills training and direct pathways into registered apprenticeship programs.

One of the most rewarding parts of Martin’s work is helping people see themselves in roles they never imagined possible.

When women see other women thriving in construction, it helps break down barriers and expands what they believe they can achieve, Martin said. UPACT focuses not only on technical skills but also

WIC Week Features Anna Martin

financial literacy and the practical tools needed to succeed in the construction industry.

“Being a successful woman in construction means more than personal achievement: It means opening doors for others,” Martin said. “It means creating opportunities, building supportive networks and ensuring that the next generation of people entering the trades feel capable of building careers they can be proud of.”

The construction industry needs skilled workers, and women bring talent, resilience and leadership to the jobsite.

Martin said she is proud to be part of a movement that is helping to reshape the future of construction. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials awarded a $20,395,700 contract on Feb. 26, 2026, to Knight Construction & Supply Inc., to replace all 11 spillway gates at Albeni Falls Dam in Oldtown, Idaho.

The project will ensure continued flood risk management, hydropower generation, navigation, fish and wildlife conservation and recreational opportunities for years to come, according to the USACE.

In 2025, USACE officials said the first replacement gate would arrive in 2027, with construction completed by the early 2030s, according to bonnercountydailybee.com.

Defective steel was found in the existing gates in 2024, limiting the dam operation, according to bonnercountydailybee.com.

USACE also will begin a gradual spring refill of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, on April 1, managing 2026 summer lake levels within the normal summer elevation band of

USACE Awards $204M Spillway Gate Contract

2062.0 - 2062.5 ft., as measured near Hope, Idaho.

USACE indicates it is too early to determine the date on which Lake Pend Oreille will reach normal summer levels but expects to achieve this once any major flood risk has subsided, while also considering the current limitations of the spillway gates.

All USACE-managed recreation areas will open as scheduled for the 2026 season. Riley Creek Recreation Area will open for the season on May 9, and Albeni Cove, Priest River and Springy Point Recreation Areas will open on May 16.

USACE representatives will share additional details on the spring refill at an upcoming public meeting on May 7, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Other discussion topics will include restricted operations, spillway gate replacement project updates, recreation area updates and a forecast for snowpack and inflows. 