Smokey Point is a community and former census-designated place in northern Snohomish County, Washington . The area, developed as a suburban bedroom community in the late 20th century, was annexed into the nearby cities of Arlington and Marysville in the 1990s and 2000s.
129-481: Smokey Point was settled in the early 20th century and was originally known as Rex Corner , named in the 1930s after the owner of a restaurant located at U.S. Route 99 and Lakewood Road (present-day Smokey Point Boulevard and 172nd Street NE , respective). The restaurant was sold to Eric and Pearl Shurstad in October 1946, who renovated it to a barbecue restaurant and renamed it the "Smokey Point Café". U.S. Route 99
258-549: A Frito-Lay distribution center. Smokey Point is located at 48°8′45″N 122°11′41″W / 48.14583°N 122.19472°W / 48.14583; -122.19472 (48.145708, -122.194794). According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP had a total area of 6.9 km (2.7 sq mi). 6.8 km (2.6 sq mi) of it is land and 0.1 km (0.039 sq mi) of it (1.13%)
387-534: A 100-mile (160 km) section between Tumwater and Marysville . I-5 enters Washington on the Interstate Bridge , a pair of vertical-lift bridges that span the Columbia River between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The bridge is the only point on I-5 where vehicles have to stop for cross traffic, because of the lifts. On the north bank of the river, the freeway passes under
516-557: A 15-store strip mall with a Safeway , opened in 1991. By the early 1990s, Smokey Point was rezoned to support industrial development to offset a regional shortage of affordable land for industrial use. After the opening of a new naval base in Everett in 1994, the U.S. Navy selected Smokey Point to house a support complex with a commissary , offices and a college. The 52-acre (21 ha) support complex broke ground in 1993 and opened in 1995. The Puget Sound Regional Council explored
645-638: A direct off-ramp to the Federal Way Transit Center and The Commons at Federal Way shopping mall. The freeway travels north into western Kent , intersecting SR 516 near Highline College . North of Angle Lake , I-5 tracks eastward between the cities of SeaTac and Tukwila , passing east of Seattle–Tacoma International Airport . At the Westfield Southcenter shopping mall in Tukwila, I-5 intersects SR 518 ,
774-605: A freeway connecting east to Puyallup , before it reaches Tacoma. In Tacoma, the freeway passes the Tacoma Mall , turns east, and splits into collector–distributor lanes that run through central Tacoma and serve two interchanges: the terminus of SR 16 , which continues northwest over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Kitsap Peninsula ; and I-705 and SR 7 , which serve downtown Tacoma,
903-588: A light industrial area that surrounds the Arlington Municipal Airport , which lies immediately to the north. The airport's main runway lies directly north of the highway, with low-flying planes making their final approach over SR 531, and the complex is ringed by a gravel multiuse trail . The highway crosses another set of railroad tracks and the Centennial Trail at 67th Avenue, which continues into downtown Arlington. From
1032-412: A major industrial center in the neighborhood were formed in the 1990s and 2000s by the cities of Arlington and Marysville. The Cascade Industrial Center was established in 2019 and designates 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) near Smokey Point for industrial and manufacturing uses. Several industrial warehouses were constructed in the early 2020s, including an Amazon distribution center, a Tesla warehouse, and
1161-566: A measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. The stretch of I-5 through Downtown Seattle is the busiest highway in Washington state, with a daily average of over 274,000 vehicles in the mainline and express lanes. The least-traveled segment of I-5 is located at SR 548 in Blaine , with a daily average of 6,600 vehicles. I-5 through the Seattle metropolitan area is among
1290-490: A national expressway system in the 1940s, including several bypasses on US 99 that were built by the state in the early 1950s. The state's planned toll superhighway in the Seattle area was shelved in favor of a federally-funded freeway under the new Interstate Highway System, under which I-5 was created in 1957. Construction of I-5 was completed in 1969, and several segments of the highway have been widened or improved in
1419-507: A north–south freeway through Seattle that was later refined into the early concepts for Interstate 5 in the 1950s. A design from 1954 proposed an eight-lane facility from Downtown Seattle to Ravenna that would cost $ 194 million (equivalent to $ 1.75 billion in 2023 dollars) to construct. Alternate plans would have placed the freeway further east on 12th Avenue in Capitol Hill or along Empire Way , which would later be used for
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#17327834614151548-689: A railroad viaduct carrying Amtrak's Empire Builder and intersects SR 14 . The interchange with SR 14, located west of Pearson Field and the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site , also includes ramps serving downtown Vancouver. I-5 continues north through suburban Vancouver and into Hazel Dell , passing the Clark College campus and intersecting SR 501 at Fourth Plain Boulevard and SR 500 at Burnt Bridge Creek. I-5 intersects I-205 ,
1677-412: A remote operations center that relies on CCTV cameras and an inspection and sweep for abandoned vehicles by a ground crew, who also set up safety nets during the 15-minute switch-over. Prior to a $ 6.6 million project to automate the gates and signage in 2012, the switch-over took 50 minutes in total. During snowstorms and severe cold weather, WSDOT keeps the express lanes open in one direction for
1806-536: A set of collector–distributor lanes as the freeway crosses the Skookumchuck River and a set of railroad tracks on the northwest side of the city. US 12 leaves the concurrency at Grand Mound , heading west towards Aberdeen while I-5 continues north into Thurston County . North of Grand Mound, I-5 passes two interchanges with SR 121 , which forms a loop between two of the exits to serve Millersylvania State Park . The freeway travels through
1935-529: A set of express lanes that reverse direction depending on time of the day. Most of the freeway is four lanes in rural areas and six to eight lanes in suburban areas, including a set of high-occupancy vehicle lanes in the latter. I-5 also has three related auxiliary Interstates in the state, I-205 , I-405 , and I-705 , as well as several designated business routes and state routes. The freeway follows several historic railroads and wagon trails developed during American settlement of western Washington in
2064-472: A set of flyer stops that are connected to SR 523 by a northbound loop ramp and southbound slip ramp. I-5 continues north through Shoreline , passing the King County Metro north bus base and several suburban neighborhoods before reaching Snohomish County . At the county line near Lake Ballinger , I-5 intersects SR 104 , a highway that connects to Lake Forest Park , Edmonds , and
2193-427: A set of railroad tracks into the city of Marysville , where it expands into a multi-lane road with sidewalks, bus pullouts , landscaping, a roundabout , and marked bicycle lanes . SR 531 passes several big-box retailers and apartment complexes before reaching a partial cloverleaf interchange with I-5 , which marks the boundary between Marysville and Arlington . The overpass carrying SR 531 over I-5
2322-630: A state scenic highway that continues west along SR 4 towards the Pacific Ocean . The freeway continues north, following the Cowlitz River to Castle Rock , where it meets SR 411 and a short business route that loops back to an interchange with SR 504 , the main highway to Mount St. Helens . North of Castle Rock, the Cowlitz River turns away from I-5 as the latter enters Lewis County , intersecting SR 506 west of Toledo and SR 505 east of Winlock . Between
2451-466: A waterfront route. The first section, 5 miles (8.0 km) long and four lanes wide, opened to traffic on December 5, 1960, connecting with an existing expressway to Ferndale. The remainder of I-5 from Ferndale to the Peace Arch border crossing was upgraded in two stages, beginning with 11 miles (18 km) to Dakota Creek near Blaine that opened on October 29, 1963. The last section through Blaine
2580-475: Is Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington. Smokey Point has several clinics and specialty medical facilities that opened in the 2010s and 2020s. The Everett Clinic opened a two-story clinic and hub in 2012 that includes primary care, gynecology, orthopedics, cardiology, pediatrics, advance imaging, and laboratory services. A behavioral hospital with 115 beds opened in 2017. The stadium at Lakewood High School
2709-590: Is a second half-diamond interchange with SR 529 Spur on Everett Avenue, at which point the HOV lanes terminate and leave the freeway at six total lanes. I-5 continues north through a narrow trench in the Riverside neighborhood and passes Summit Park, a city park built using leftover land and excavated dirt from the freeway's construction. The freeway continues over the Snohomish River and descends into
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#17327834614152838-591: Is home to Snohomish County FC Steelheads , a semi-pro soccer team. Washington State Route 531 State Route 531 ( SR 531 ) is a short state highway in Snohomish County, Washington , United States. It runs from west to east along 172nd Street between Wenberg County Park on Lake Goodwin to a junction with SR 9 in southern Arlington , with an intermediate interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Smokey Point . The highway
2967-695: Is in Snohomish County . Interstate 5 (Washington) Interstate 5 ( I-5 ) is an Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States that serves as the region's primary north–south route. It spans 277 miles (446 km) across the state of Washington , from the Oregon state border at Vancouver , through the Puget Sound region , to the Canadian border at Blaine . Within
3096-545: Is joined by the BNSF railroad while continuing north towards Mount Vernon . The freeway narrows to four lanes within Mount Vernon and forms the boundary between the uphill suburban neighborhoods and downtown along the river. In downtown Mount Vernon, it intersects SR 536 in an interchange adjacent to the city's train station . At its next interchange, I-5 crosses the railroad and encounters SR 538 , which connects
3225-505: Is named the Oliver "Punks" Smith Bridge after a retired Arlington city councilmember who led calls for its reconstruction. The highway continues east into Arlington's Smokey Point neighborhood, passing several strip malls , a bus station , and government offices. In eastern Smokey Point, SR 531 travels through a roundabout and returns to its two-lane configuration as it passes an Amazon distribution center. It then passes through
3354-466: Is the primary access point for the Arlington Municipal Airport and the Smokey Point retail corridor. SR 531 was created by the state legislature in 1991, using existing roads that were built in the early 20th century. Retail and housing development in the Smokey Point area triggered several expansion projects in the 1990s and 2000s to accommodate growing traffic volumes. The I-5 interchange
3483-526: Is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,556 people, 628 households, and 425 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 229.3 people/km (594 people/sq mi). There were 649 housing units at an average density of 95.6 units/km (248 units/sq mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.15% White , 1.41% African American , 0.77% Native American , 4.82% Asian , 0.32% Pacific Islander , 1.35% from other races , and 4.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.78% of
3612-651: The American Association of State Highway Officials established a national highway system in 1926, designating most of the Pacific Highway north of Los Angeles as part of U.S. Route 99 (US 99). The highway's Washington segment would ultimately be completed four years later with the opening of several bridges between Everett and Marysville. It was also realigned in several areas to use newer cut-off roadways, bypassing older sections. The section between Burlington and Bellingham, historically on
3741-662: The Beacon Hill light rail tunnel near 1 Line's railyard and operating base. At the north end of SoDo and Beacon Hill, I-5 intersects I-90 , the state's major east–west freeway, forming a large interchange with ramps to T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field , two of the city's professional sports stadiums. North of the interchange, I-5 travels on an elevated viaduct over the International District and splits into collector–distributor lanes that serve exits to Downtown Seattle . The thirteen-lane freeway, among
3870-604: The Bellis Fair Mall . The freeway heads northwest and leaves Bellingham after passing Bellingham International Airport , entering the predominately rural part of the Fraser Lowland region. I-5 continues northwest along the railroad, crossing the Nooksack River on a pair of truss bridges near downtown Ferndale and reaching a junction with SR 548 north of the city. SR 548 continues along
3999-597: The Cowlitz reservation and crosses the Lewis River into Woodland , where it intersects SR 503 . Northwest of Woodland, the median of I-5 is used by freight trains and Amtrak's Cascades and Coast Starlight passenger trains, which follow the freeway for its entire length. I-5 continues along the east bank of the Columbia River, passing through Kalama on the way towards Longview and Kelso . At
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4128-645: The Eastside ; and I-705 , a short spur into Tacoma . It was designated as the Purple Heart Trail in 2013 by the Washington State Transportation Commission to honor wounded military veterans. The freeway runs through the most densely populated region of Washington state, with 4.6 million people living in the nine counties on the corridor, approximately 70 percent of the state's population. Several of
4257-697: The Newaukum River near the Uncle Sam billboard , a politically conservative message board and roadside attraction. I-5 and US 12 turn northwest to follow the river and pass along the western edge of Chehalis , where they intersect SR 6 . After passing the Chehalis-Centralia Airport , the freeway follows the Chehalis River to the western side of Centralia . I-5 and US 12 then intersect SR 507 and gain
4386-696: The Okanogan Country as the North Cascades Highway. In northern Burlington, I-5 intersects the southern end of SR 11 , which provides access to the western Chuckanut Mountains . I-5 crosses the railroad and the Samish River before reaching the Skagit Casino Resort and Skagit Speedway near Bow and Alger , located in the middle of the heavily forested Chuckanut foothills. The freeway then travels up into
4515-599: The Seattle Municipal Tower and adjacent to Seattle City Hall . The express lanes run through downtown and the Cascade neighborhood on the lower deck of I-5's southbound lanes, with ramps to the Pike Street at 9th Avenue (including a former exit to Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel 's Convention Place station ), and Stewart and Howell streets at Eastlake Avenue. After the ramps from Mercer Street,
4644-495: The Seattle metropolitan area , the freeway connects the cities of Tacoma , Seattle , and Everett . I-5 is the only interstate to traverse the whole state from north to south and is Washington's busiest highway, with an average of 274,000 vehicles traveling on it through Downtown Seattle on a typical day. The segment in Downtown Seattle is also among the widest freeways in the United States, at 13 lanes, and includes
4773-949: The Stillaguamish River and passes the Stillaguamish Indian Reservation and the Angel of the Winds Casino Resort . The freeway continues northwest through rural Snohomish County and intersects SR 532 east of Stanwood before crossing into Skagit County . From the Snohomish County line, the freeway turns north and descends into the Skagit Valley from Conway Hill, following the Skagit River that runs to its west. At Conway , I-5 intersects SR 534 and
4902-863: The Tacoma Dome , Tacoma Dome Station , and the Pacific Avenue corridor. East of the Tacoma Dome area, I-5 intersects SR 167 and crosses over the Puyallup River and a railroad carrying Sounder commuter trains . The freeway reaches Fife on the Puyallup Indian Reservation and intersects SR 99 , a section of former US 99 , at 54th Avenue East near the Emerald Queen Casino . After crossing Hylebos Creek, I-5 turns north and ascends from
5031-495: The peak direction ; the express lanes run in the median of the freeway between Downtown Seattle and Northgate, carrying 54,000 of the 270,000 vehicles on the Ship Canal Bridge on an average weekday, as measured in 2010. The express lanes split from I-5 near James Street, with ramps to the mainline near the northbound Seneca Street exit; the southernmost downtown exit is at 5th Avenue and Cherry and Columbia streets under
5160-522: The state supreme court upheld the legislature's authorization and allowed the program to move forward. A separate bill in 1953 authorized planning for a toll highway between Tacoma and Everett to replace the nearly-complete Alaskan Way Viaduct and other urban streets with grade crossings and 19 total interchanges. The upgrade program was divided into 226 miles (364 km) of four-lane highway and 47 miles (76 km) of two-lane highway in rural sections between Marysville and Blaine. Construction on
5289-484: The 1970s. The section between northern Kelso and Castle Rock was improved to Interstate standards and widened to six lanes in 1976, which was followed by an expansion through Kelso that opened in 1981. The Kelso expansion project included relocating the freeway away from a mudslide-prone hill, transferring maintenance of the old alignment to the city government. A similar six-lane expansion project in Marysville in
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5418-526: The CDP was $ 46,202, and the median income for a family was $ 53,828. Males had a median income of $ 37,614 versus $ 30,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 20,133. None of the families and 4.1% of the population were living below the poverty line , including no under eighteens and 10.3% of those over 64. There are several main arterials that pass through Smokey Point: Interstate 5 , Smokey Point Boulevard , State Route 531 (also called 172nd Street NE), and 51st Avenue NE. The nearest hospital
5547-742: The Chuckanut Mountains and crosses into Whatcom County south of Lake Samish . The entire Skagit County section of I-5 is designated as the Skagit Valley Agricultural Scenic Corridor , a state scenic byway , in recognition of its agricultural industry. I-5 travels along the eastern shore of Lake Samish before turning west to follow Chuckanut Creek through a narrow valley formed by Chuckanut and Lookout mountains in Lake Samish State Park . At Lake Padden , it turns north and enters
5676-586: The City of Marysville. There has been substantial commercial growth in Smokey Point. The western side of Smokey Point (within the City of Marysville) has received much of this growth. In late 2006, the commercial area called "Lakewood Crossing" opened, just west of the Interstate 5 exit to Smokey Point (exit 206). A stretch of Smokey Point Boulevard was developed into an auto row in the late 2010s, with several car dealerships relocating from Marysville. Plans for
5805-418: The City of Smokey Point-Lakewood. The proposal was put on hold, however, since state law mandated that incorporations cannot occur while an annexation involving land in the same area is still pending. After years of controversial court battles, lawsuits, redrawn boundaries, and strong opposition by the residential community, the annexation question was finally resolved in 1999, when the City of Arlington annexed
5934-780: The Hawks Prairie industrial area, where it intersects SR 510 , a highway serving the Nisqually Indian Community and Yelm . I-5 continues northeast through the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge towards DuPont on the east side of the Nisqually River in Pierce County . Immediately east of DuPont, I-5 travels through Joint Base Lewis–McChord , a major military installation that encompasses land on both sides of
6063-526: The I-5 interchange, using funds from a private developer to support their new shopping center and apartment complex. In the late 2000s, WSDOT also studied $ 57 million in traffic and safety improvements for the SR ;531 corridor near the Arlington Municipal Airport , recommending that the highway be widened to four lanes and include bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and roundabouts at several intersections. Funding for
6192-907: The Kitsap Peninsula via the Edmonds–Kingston ferry . The freeway continues through western Mountlake Terrace , passing the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center and its median bus station near 236th Street Southwest. Upon entering Lynnwood , I-5 turns northeast and follows the Interurban Trail , passing the Lynnwood Transit Center , which is connected to the HOV lanes via a set of direct ramps. The freeway then intersects SR 524 (196th Street Southwest) and its spur route on 44th Avenue West before heading towards Alderwood Mall . To
6321-568: The Northgate Mall, with a ramp to Northeast 103rd Street and the two remaining lanes merging onto I-5. The downtown entrances at Cherry, Columbia, and Pike streets are designated for HOV use only to encourage carpooling without affecting buses using the ramps. The express lanes typically carry southbound traffic from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. and northbound traffic from 11:15 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, with an overnight closure from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. On most weekends,
6450-451: The Puyallup River Valley, entering King County and the city of Federal Way while parallel to SR 99. After passing under SR 161 at Kitts Corner near the Wild Waves Theme Park , I-5 intersects SR 18 , a freeway that connects to Auburn and Maple Valley . I-5 continues north past the former corporate headquarters of Weyerhauser to central Federal Way, where the freeway's high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes) have
6579-404: The SR 531 that were completed in the late 2000s and early 2010s. In 2007, a set of sidewalks were added to the highway near Lakewood High School and its adjacent elementary school in Lakewood. A roundabout at SR 9 was opened to traffic in November 2012, replacing a signalized intersection that had been the site of frequent collisions. A second roundabout was added at 23rd Avenue west of
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#17327834614156708-424: The University District. I-5 runs north along 5th Avenue through the University District, a few blocks west of the University of Washington campus, and intersects Northeast 45th and 50th streets using a weaved pair of diamond interchanges . In the Roosevelt – Green Lake area, I-5 intersects Ravenna Boulevard and SR 522 , a major highway that travels along the north side of Lake Washington. Further north,
6837-446: The area formed a group called Save Our Community and Schools (SOCS). SOCS worked tirelessly with their local state representatives to change the law to protect the Lakewood School District. Those efforts were successful, and the Lakewood School District remains intact today. After receiving much input from the local community with the desire to keep their community intact, SOCS filed a Notice of Intent for Incorporation, which would create
6966-402: The average family size was 2.99. In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in
7095-422: The banks of the South Fork Stillaguamish River , but this section was removed from maps by 1940. As retailers moved into the Smokey Point area, sections of the road were widened and improved in the 1980s with contributions from private developers. SR 531 was designated as a state highway during the 1991 legislative session , but it was not transferred to state control until April 1, 1992. WSDOT identified
7224-541: The busiest section of the highway is located in Smokey Point and carried an average of 24,000 vehicles per day. The least traveled section was near Wenberg County Park and carried only 1,900 vehicles. A short section of SR 531 between I-5 and Smokey Point Boulevard is designated as a minor route of the National Highway System . Lakewood and its adjoining community of English were established in 1908 along an unpaved road to Arlington, which later became part of SR 531. The road once extended east from Portage Creek to
7353-414: The city of Bellingham , intersecting SR 11 east of Fairhaven and the Alaska Marine Highway terminal. The freeway travels along the east side of Sehome Hill and downtown, passing the Western Washington University campus and several intersections with downtown streets. Northeast of downtown Bellingham, I-5 intersects SR 542 (the Mount Baker Highway) and turns west to meet SR 539 at
7482-437: The corridor. The federal government began planning for a national "superhighway" system in the late 1930s, including the US 99 corridor as the main route along the West Coast. The highway system, designed with a minimum of four lanes in rural areas and strict grade separation , was approved for limited funding by Congress in 1944 and planned by the Bureau of Public Roads over the following years. The US 99 corridor
7611-401: The creation and majority-federal funding of the Interstate Highway System . A few months later, the state supreme court overturned the $ 194 million authorization (equivalent to $ 1.67 billion in 2023 dollars) to build the 65-mile (105 km) Tacoma–Everett expressway as a toll road after finding it to be unconstitutional. The federal contribution under the Interstate Highways program
7740-501: The crossing, SR 531 begins its ascent up a hill, curving to the north along the edge of the Gleneagle housing development and golf course . The highway terminates at a roundabout with SR 9 near a gun range south of downtown Arlington. SR 531 is maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which conducts an annual survey on the state's highways to measure traffic volume in terms of annual average daily traffic . In 2016, WSDOT calculated that
7869-503: The decades since. Interstate 5 is the only Interstate to traverse Washington from north to south, serving as the primary highway for the western portion of the state. It is listed as part of the National Highway System and the state's Highways of Statewide Significance program, recognizing its connection to major communities. I-5 has three auxiliary Interstate Highways within Washington: I-205 , an easterly bypass of Portland, Oregon , and Vancouver ; I-405 , bypassing Seattle via
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#17327834614157998-403: The early 1990s, after a controversial land-use was proposed for the area, several property owners began an effort to petition the City of Arlington to annex a large portion of the Smokey Point community. Around the same time, another group of property owners began an effort to annex much of the same territory into the City of Marysville. The group working on annexing into Arlington was able to reach
8127-415: The east of the mall, I-5 intersects I-405 and SR 525 . I-5 crosses into northern Lynnwood and intersects 164th Street Southwest near Martha Lake and Mill Creek , where a partial HOV ramp connects to the Ash Way Park and Ride . The freeway continues north into Everett and intersects SR 96 southeast of Paine Field . It then passes Silver Lake and the South Everett park and ride (located in
8256-415: The eastern freeway bypass of the Portland metropolitan area , in Salmon Creek near the Vancouver campus of Washington State University . From Salmon Creek, I-5 continues northwesterly and intersects SR 502 at the Gee Creek rest area west of Battle Ground . Its next interchange, in eastern Ridgefield , forms the eastern terminus of SR 501. The freeway passes the Ilani Casino Resort on
8385-417: The entire day to prevent snow and ice from causing electronic failures in the automated gates. The entire highway is in Seattle , King County . The Pacific Highway was formed in 1913 by the state government as the north–south trunk in its first highway system, following the general route of modern-day I-5. The trunk route, one of three suggested by good roads activists for several years and studied by
8514-428: The expansion of Arlington Municipal Airport into a regional airport in the 1990s to relieve Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , but decided instead to build a third runway at Sea-Tac because of existing traffic and local opposition. In September 2004, Marysville won a bid to build a 850-acre (340 ha) NASCAR racetrack (to be operated by the International Speedway Corporation ) south of Smokey Point. The project
8643-552: The finished but unopened freeway a month earlier to avoid congestion on US 99. The Tacoma and Olympia sections of I-5 were connected by a new freeway across Fort Lewis and the Nisqually River that opened in November 1968 and cost $ 12 million (equivalent to $ 80.3 million in 2023 dollars). Its opening eliminated the last traffic signal between Seattle and Portland. I-5 was routed around Bellingham on an easterly arc with several interchanges that were added after lobbying by downtown business groups who had originally favored
8772-497: The four-abreast express lanes emerge onto the median of I-5, following it past Capitol Hill and Eastlake to the Ship Canal Bridge. The express lanes cross the Ship Canal on the lower deck of the bridge, which includes an exit to Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. A southbound-only, HOV-only onramp from Ravenna Boulevard and an additional ramp to SR 522 connect the express lanes to North Seattle, leaving two express lanes and an HOV lane. The express lanes end southwest of
8901-400: The freeway and its parallel railroad . Near American Lake , an interchange with Thorne Lane marks the proposed western terminus of SR 704 , a new highway that would travel between the boundaries of Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base (the two components of Joint Base Lewis–McChord) to Spanaway . Continuing past the bases, I-5 passes through Lakewood and intersects SR 512 ,
9030-423: The freeway reaches Northgate and the express lanes merge back with the mainline, forming a set of HOV lanes. I-5 passes to the west of Northgate Mall and the Northgate light rail station along 1st Avenue before moving back east to 5th Avenue near Haller Lake . At Jackson Park , freeway intersects SR 523 , which runs on 145th Street and forms the northern city limit of Seattle. The interchange includes
9159-561: The freeway runs due north along the boundary between the city and the Tulalip Indian Reservation and intersects several arterial streets: SR 528 west of downtown Marysville, 88th Street near Quil Ceda Village , and 116th Street near the Tulalip Resort Casino and Seattle Premium Outlets shopping mall. North of the city and reservation, I-5 crosses over the railroad and enters Arlington 's Smokey Point neighborhood, where it intersects SR 531 just west of Arlington Municipal Airport . A pair of rest areas are situated north of
9288-595: The freeway to the Skagit Valley College and a minor retail corridor. The freeway then crosses the Skagit River into Burlington on a bridge that partially collapsed on May 23, 2013, and was subsequently renamed the Trooper Sean M. O'Connell Jr. Memorial Bridge after a state trooper who died while directing detour traffic during its rebuilding. On the north side of the river, I-5 skirts
9417-579: The freeway's median) at 112th Street Southeast near the Everett Mall and a southbound-only rest area. Northeast of the mall, I-5 comes to a major interchange with several highways: SR 99, which travels southwest as Everett Mall Way; SR 526 , which travels west to the Boeing Everett Factory and Mukilteo ; SR 527 , which travels south through Mill Creek; and Broadway, which continues north into downtown Everett. From
9546-714: The freeway, causing vehicles to weave across several lanes that contributes to traffic congestion. I-5 continues onto the Ship Canal Bridge towards the University District , crossing 160 feet (49 m) over a section of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Eastlake Avenue parallel to the University Bridge . The bridge also includes a lower deck for the express lanes, with a ramp connecting to Northeast 42nd Street in
9675-574: The general course of the Snohomish River , and intersects the southern terminus of SR 529 at a half-diamond interchange with Pacific Avenue and Maple Street near the Everett train station and transit center. One block north of the interchange, the freeway intersects US 2 , a major highway that travels across Stevens Pass to eastern Washington. To the north of the US ;2 ramps
9804-459: The highway and a modern " freeway " through Vancouver. The plan was opposed by Governor Arthur B. Langlie , who questioned its constitutionality on the basis that it could violate the state constitution's 18th amendment. The bond's use of future gas tax revenues to pay interest would, under some interpretations, violate the amendment's requirement that the gas tax must be used for highway purposes, using it instead to pay off debts. Later that year,
9933-535: The highway and travels west towards the Cherry Point Refinery and Birch Bay . In Blaine, the northernmost city on I-5, SR 543 splits off to serve an alternate border crossing for trucks and freight. I-5 travels along the northeast edge of downtown Blaine and intersects SR 548 before it reaches the Canadian border at the Peace Arch , where the highway terminates. The monument
10062-405: The highway in the state. The 19.7-mile (31.7 km) section between north Seattle and Everett was opened on February 3, 1965. It was constructed over sections of the former Seattle–Everett Interurban Railway and cost $ 23 million (equivalent to $ 170 million in 2023 dollars). Several of the freeway's interchanges in southern Snohomish County were opened two months later. The freeway
10191-600: The highway to six lanes and adding bicycle lanes and sidewalks. The old overpass, which had been built in 1968, was demolished in May 2005 after the completion of the new bridge's northern side. The new bridge opened in time to serve a new shopping center on the southwest side of the interchange, which contributed to an increase in traffic and collisions. The second phase of the project, a loop ramp channeling westbound traffic onto southbound I-5, began construction in March 2009 and
10320-613: The highway's two-lane overpass over I-5 as a candidate for replacement using state funding, but the project was pushed back several times in the 1990s. After it was removed from the preliminary list of projects under the Nickel Program in January 2003, a citizens group was formed to lobby elected officials for the interchange replacement. By the end of the year, the group had successfully negotiated for $ 6.5 million in funds (equivalent to $ 10.3 million in 2023 dollars) to replace
10449-609: The highway: Freeway Park , a landscaped city park between Seneca and Union streets; and the Seattle Convention Center between Union and Pike streets. I-5 continues north out of downtown Seattle under a 20-to-30-foot (6.1 to 9.1 m) retaining wall along Melrose Avenue at the edge of Capitol Hill . To the west is the South Lake Union and Cascade neighborhoods, accessed via ramps to Stewart Street and Mercer Street . The freeway travels along
10578-469: The interchange and are the busiest in the state, serving 2.1 million visitors per year, and is home to a 22-foot-wide (6.7 m) Western red cedar stump that was once hollowed out to allow vehicles to drive through it. The area around the freeway transforms from suburban to rural, with rolling hills and forested areas, as it approaches Island Crossing and an interchange with SR 530 west of downtown Arlington. North of Island Crossing, I-5 crosses
10707-519: The lake. At the north end of the lake, SR 531 turns east onto Lakewood Road, a rural two-lane highway that passes several suburban subdivisions . The highway wraps around the north end of Lake Ki and Cougar Creek and turns due east onto 172nd Street Northeast at an intersection with Forty Five Road. It continues across the rural community of North Lakewood , passing the Lakewood High School campus. The highway travels east over
10836-436: The lanes are open to southbound traffic from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and northbound traffic from 1:45 p.m. to 11 p.m., with an overnight closure to reduce neighborhood noise. The weekend times are sometimes adjusted for special events, including weekend sporting events, or construction on the mainline lanes in Seattle. The express lanes are controlled by a series of movable gates and electronic signs controlled by
10965-541: The largest cities along the I-5 corridor are also connected by the parallel Cascades , a regional train service between Eugene, Oregon , and Vancouver , British Columbia, operated by Amtrak and funded by the state governments of Oregon and Washington. I-5 is maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), who conduct an annual survey of traffic volume that is expressed in terms of annual average daily traffic (AADT),
11094-499: The late 1960s was delayed after a dispute between the state government and Tulalip Tribes over compensation for land that was later settled in 1970. A section further north of Marysville was expanded to six lanes in 1972, including a new bridge over the Stillaguamish River for northbound traffic and replacement of a railroad underpass with a pair of overpasses. A municipal traffic plan from 1946 outlined designs for
11223-540: The mall interchange, I-5 descends towards the Lowell area on the east side of a hill with several suburban neighborhoods. Near the Everett Memorial Stadium and Lowell Park, the freeway intersects 41st Street in a single-point urban interchange , with additional ramps from the HOV and mainline lanes towards downtown Everett on Broadway. I-5 then curves northeasterly around downtown Everett, following
11352-463: The mid-to-late 19th century. The state legislature incorporated local roads into the Pacific Highway in 1913, connecting the state's southern and northern borders between Vancouver and Blaine. The Pacific Highway was built and paved over the next decade, and became the northernmost segment of the national U.S. Route 99 (US 99) in 1926. The federal government endorsed the creation of
11481-591: The next interchange at SR 599 , a short freeway that connects to SR 99. From the SR 599 interchange, I-5 makes a gradual turn to the northwest while crossing over the Duwamish River and a mainline railroad, following the latter into the city of Seattle after an interchange with SR 900 . After entering Seattle, I-5 passes under the Link 1 Line tracks at Boeing Access Road and runs northwesterly between Boeing Field and Georgetown to
11610-644: The north end of Capitol Hill through the Eastlake neighborhood on the east side of Lake Union , passing over the I-5 Colonnade mountain bike park. At Roanoke Park , I-5 intersects the western terminus of SR 520 , a major freeway that crosses Lake Washington on the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge to Bellevue and Redmond . The heavily trafficked Mercer Street and SR 520 exits use ramps that are on opposite sides of
11739-409: The northeast portion of Smokey Point. The actual land annexed was but a small percentage of the originally-petitioned area, due to the redrawn urban growth boundaries. As a result of the annexation, the effort to keep the Smokey Point community intact ended, along with the hopes of incorporation. As expected, in the years since then, the southern and western portions of Smokey Point have been annexed into
11868-509: The overpass and plan for a future interchange replacement, sourced from various state and local jurisdictions. The project's budget was later increased to $ 9.2 million (equivalent to $ 14.2 million in 2023 dollars) using federal funds obtained by the state's congressional delegation. Construction of the new I-5 overpass began in August 2004 and was completed in December 2005, expanding
11997-489: The population of the unincorporated area between Arlington and Marysville, including Smokey Point, had increased to 16,000 people as the result of suburban development. The area's first supermarket opened in 1978 alongside an office park and motel. In 1979, the Snohomish County Sherriff 's Office established a precinct in Smokey Point at an existing fire station. Smokey Point's largest retail center,
12126-404: The population. There were 628 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and
12255-570: The primary means of access to the airport and Burien , and I-405 , the eastern freeway bypass of Seattle that travels through Renton and the Eastside. The interchange includes several left-hand ramps, necessitating the separation of the thru HOV lanes from the mainline. For a short distance, the light rail tracks of the Link 1 Line , which followed SR 518 from Tukwila International Boulevard station , join I-5 and run on its west side until
12384-638: The project was part of the Roads and Transit ballot measure in 2007, but the program was rejected by voters. In 2015, the state legislature allocated $ 39.3 million from the statewide transportation package to fund a widening project that is scheduled to be completed by 2026. Due to the anticipated increase in traffic caused by new industrial development in the area, a set of parallel reliever roads are also planned to be constructed in Smokey Point. A roundabout at 43rd Avenue Northeast and hard median in Smokey Point were completed by October 2022. The entire highway
12513-519: The proposed R. H. Thomson Expressway . A larger, twelve-lane freeway through Downtown Seattle with a reversible express lane system was announced in April 1957 ahead of a series of public hearings . The proposal received a mix of strong support and criticism from members of the public, while the city government endorsed the plan with a caveat that right of way along the freeway be reserved for use by rapid transit . The twelve-lane design, sans transit,
12642-487: The relocation of the military base's main gate to a new cloverleaf interchange . Another early Interstate project, the 6.5-mile (10.5 km) Olympia Freeway, was opened to traffic on December 12, 1958, at a cost of $ 11.6 million (equivalent to $ 94 million in 2023 dollars). It also included a freeway section of US 101 and US 410 that intersected I-5 in the state's first three-level interchange. A rural section of freeway between Marysville and Mount Vernon
12771-447: The required 60% assessed value threshold first, enabling their annexation to move forward. The City of Marysville, having a vested interest by being the sewer and water utility provider for the area and having an interest in annexing Smokey Point, challenged the annexation, along with the residential community whose property was added to the annexation boundaries by the state Boundary Review Board for Snohomish County. At that time, there
12900-571: The river's estuary , which has several sloughs that I-5 crosses. It also passes the Everett Water Pollution Control Facility and several wastewater treatment ponds, which produces strong odors that are noted by motorists. On the north side of Steamboat Slough, I-5 turns northwesterly and intersects SR 529 before crossing over the BNSF Railway and Ebey Slough into Marysville. Within Marysville,
13029-478: The rural sections in southwestern Washington began in late 1951 and the first section near Kalama was opened early the following year. Major bypasses of Centralia, Fort Lewis, Kelso, Marysville, and Tumwater were completed in 1954. The 2-mile-long (3.2 km) Vancouver freeway opened on April 1, 1955, constituting the state's first grade-separated freeway and costing $ 7 million (equivalent to $ 62.2 million in 2023 dollars) to construct. In December 1955,
13158-520: The school district of the annexing city. Being that nearly all of the commercial area of Smokey Point was petitioned to be annexed into Arlington, the loss of such a tax base would have been devastating to the Lakewood School District. Local residents in Smokey Point and Lakewood also circulated petitions to incorporate the area as a separate city to preserve the school district's taxing base. Because of these issues, local residents in
13287-612: The section between Chehalis and Olympia was moved onto a straighter highway that bypassed Tenino and other small towns along the meandering route of the Pacific Highway. Its opening marked the end of the southern section of the upgraded US 99. The northern section was declared complete after a bypass of Mount Vernon and Burlington, including a new bridge over the Skagit River , was opened to traffic in June 1957. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 29, 1956, formally authorized
13416-654: The south end of Kelso, near the confluence of the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers, the freeway intersects SR 432 , which connects to Longview and the Lewis and Clark Bridge via SR 433 . I-5 continues north along the Coweeman River to the Three Rivers Mall , located east of downtown Kelso, where SR 4 terminates. Between Vancouver and Kelso, the highway is part of the Lewis and Clark Trail ,
13545-627: The state legislature in 1909, strung together several wagon trails dating back as early as the 1840s, when settlers arrived in the Puget Sound region from the Willamette Valley via the Cowlitz Trail . Part of the highway also followed the military road constructed in the 1850s from Fort Vancouver to Fort Bellingham . The Washington section was part of a longer highway along the West Coast from Canada to Mexico, which
13674-631: The suburb of Tumwater, passing the Olympia Regional Airport and several state office parks before reaching the terminus of US 101 , a major highway that encircles the Olympic Peninsula , on the south side of Capitol Lake . After the interchange, I-5 enters Olympia and turns eastward after passing the Washington State Capitol campus and downtown Olympia. The freeway passes through Lacey and
13803-586: The two interchanges is the Gospodor Monument Park , a roadside attraction with four sculptures of up to 100 feet (30 m) in height commemorating religious and indigenous figures. After their installation in 2002, the sculptures caused backups on the freeway due to rubbernecking by passing drivers who slowed down near them. Near Napavine , I-5 becomes concurrent with US 12 , which continues east across White Pass to Yakima . The two highways intersect SR 508 and cross over
13932-552: The water-facing Chuckanut Drive , was moved inland via Lake Samish in 1931. State Road 1 was re-designated in 1937 as Primary State Highway 1 under the state's new highway numbering system, but was not signed as such, giving priority to the overlapping US 99. By 1941, the Pacific Highway was the busiest road in the Pacific Northwest and had been widened to four lanes in most urban areas because of traffic congestion, necessitating studies into by-passing cities along
14061-691: The west along the railroad and Beacon Hill to the east. Mid-way along Beacon Hill near Jefferson Park , the freeway turns due north and intersects the east end of the Spokane Street Viaduct, part of the West Seattle Bridge , which has additional ramps to the SoDo area and the VA Puget Sound Medical Center . I-5 continues north between SoDo and northern Beacon Hill, crossing over the western portal of
14190-572: The western edge of Burlington, passing car dealerships and retail stores, including the Cascade Mall and an outlet mall . To the west of downtown Burlington, the freeway intersects SR 20 , a major state highway, in a partial cloverleaf interchange that includes several businesses inside the western loop. SR 20 continues west towards Anacortes and the Olympic Peninsula, and east through North Cascades National Park to
14319-544: The widest in the United States, runs in the full block between 6th and 7th avenues between downtown to the west and First Hill to the east, home to Harborview Medical Center and Yesler Terrace . It passes to the east of Seattle's tallest building, the Columbia Center , and the city's Central Library before adding a set of reversible express lanes in the median near Madison Street . I-5 turns northeasterly and passes under two structures built atop sections of
14448-399: The worst congested highways in the United States, with 78 percent of peak direction miles classified as "routinely congested" for seven to eight hours a day and an average annual delay of 55 hours for Seattle– Everett commutes. The freeway has a maximum speed limit of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) in rural areas and 60 mph (97 km/h) in urban and suburban areas, which includes
14577-438: Was a single Arlington-Smokey Point-Marysville Urban Growth Boundary, causing confusion as to what city could potentially annex which area of Smokey Point. After many meetings with Snohomish County officials, the two cities ended up with separate urban growth boundaries for future annexation. Arlington was given the northeast portion of Smokey Point; Marysville was given the western and southern portions. However, when this proposal
14706-513: Was also the first to use the Interstate highway shield , which was installed during construction in 1958. By the end of 1959, new interchanges and overpasses had brought most of the highway between Vancouver and Olympia to Interstate standards. Governor Albert D. Rosellini announced an accelerated push for freeway construction, primarily aimed at completing Interstate 5 between Seattle and the Canadian border, in August 1960. The Tacoma section
14835-518: Was anticipated to be $ 165 million (equivalent to $ 1.42 billion in 2023 dollars), but come in smaller installments that would require more time to complete the freeway project. The entire US 99 corridor was subsequently assigned the designation of "Interstate 5" in 1957 and the federal government allocated planning funds to begin engineering of the Seattle Freeway, which commanded its own Highway Department division. Washington
14964-661: Was built in 1921 and its surrounding park is open to the public without needing to report to customs officers. The park is connected to its administrative buildings and parking lots by a set of crosswalks across the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 5. The Peace Arch–Douglas crossing is the third-busiest port of entry on the Canadian border, with an average of 3,500 to 4,800 vehicles crossing per day. The highway continues north as Highway 99 towards Vancouver, located 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Blaine. I-5 has 7.14 miles (11.49 km) of express lanes within Seattle, which reverse to carry traffic in
15093-612: Was bypassed by Interstate 5 in the late 1960s, constructing an interchange at Smokey Point and creating the Gissberg Ponds (now Twin Lakes) out of a gravel excavation site. In 1966, the area was proposed as the location of a four-year public college, with 645 acres (261 ha) offered by the city of Arlington. The state legislature decided to build the college instead in Olympia , becoming The Evergreen State College . By 1977,
15222-411: Was cancelled two months later after concerns about traffic impacts, environmental conditions, and $ 70 million in required transportation improvements arose. The NASCAR site was later pitched as a candidate for a new University of Washington satellite campus (known as UW North Sound ) in the late 2000s, competing with downtown Everett, before the project was put on hold in 2008 and cancelled in 2011. In
15351-587: Was completed in early 1959. The first section of the Tacoma–Seattle–Everett freeway was opened to traffic on October 1, 1959, extending the Fort Lewis freeway 5 miles (8.0 km) from Gravelly Lake near McChord Field to South 72nd Street in southern Tacoma. The $ 4.68 million project (equivalent to $ 37.4 million in 2023 dollars) built the six-lane freeway and a cloverleaf interchange at SSH 5G (now SR 512). The Tacoma section
15480-604: Was conceived by the Pacific Highway Association of North America in 1910. The Pacific Highway was dedicated by 60,000 people at the Peace Arch in Blaine on September 4, 1923, with a few sections still under construction. Earlier that year, the Washington state government had designated it as State Road 1 and allotted funds to pave some rural sections. By 1925, almost all of the highway had been paved or improved to modern standards. The federal government and
15609-546: Was delayed by construction issues and opened on November 23, 1965, with a dedication ceremony at the Peace Arch. The British Columbian government had already completed upgrades to its section of Highway 99 between Blaine and the Fraser River in 1962. The southernmost section of the Bellingham Freeway through the Chuckanut Mountains opened in three stages in 1966, completing the last four-lane section of
15738-601: Was extended 13.5 miles (21.7 km) north to Midway (near Des Moines) on October 10, 1962. The dedication ceremony was attended by Governor Rosellini and included a parade of U.S. Army vehicles from Fort Lewis . The Tacoma–Midway section cost $ 14.5 million to construct (equivalent to $ 136 million in 2023 dollars) and included a cloverleaf interchange for the Auburn cutoff (later SR 18) in Federal Way. The ceremony had been preceded by drivers trespassing onto
15867-598: Was included in the initial 37,700-mile (60,672 km) system announced three years later by the Public Roads Administration . The state legislature adopted its own set of standards for limited-access highways in 1947, later amending them to encourage upgrades to existing two-lane roadways. In 1951, the legislature authorized a $ 66.7 million bond issue (equivalent to $ 628 million in 2023 dollars) to fund upgrades to US 99, including four-lane sections on all but 40 miles (64 km) of
15996-489: Was initially six lanes wide but was expanded to eight lanes from Northgate to modern-day Shoreline in 1966 because of increased traffic congestion. The 3-mile (4.8 km) bypass of downtown Everett between 41st Street and the Snohomish River was completed on January 18, 1968; its opening eliminated fourteen traffic lights and included ramps to connect with the Hewitt Avenue Trestle. The final section of I-5
16125-532: Was opened on August 28, 2009, six months ahead of schedule. The rest of the interchange project, including ramp meters and improved intersections, was completed in July 2010. The project's total budget was $ 33 million (equivalent to $ 45 million in 2023 dollars), but only cost $ 23.5 million to construct (equivalent to $ 32.1 million in 2023 dollars) due to cost savings in engineering and project bidding. The Nickel Program also funded several other projects on
16254-434: Was opened on May 14, 1969, spanning 3.5 miles (5.6 km) between Everett and Marysville over the Snohomish River delta. It was originally scheduled to open several months earlier, but delayed steel work on the bridge over the Snohomish River caused scheduling issues. Several right-in/right-out intersections and non-grade-separated sections remained on I-5 until the completion of widening and grade separation projects in
16383-445: Was presented to the local community, there was overwhelming opposition, as the community desired to have their entire community be annexed into one city, not split between two. The County Council had the final say and approved the territory divisions. To further complicate things, there was a little-known state law on the books that would have transitioned the annexed territory from the Lakewood School District that served Smokey Point to
16512-466: Was rebuilt and expanded between 2004 and 2010, including the addition of a loop ramp and a wider overpass. Its eastern terminus at SR 9 was converted into a roundabout in 2012. SR 531 begins at the entrance to Wenberg County Park , a former state park located on Lake Goodwin . The highway travels north on a section of East Lake Goodwin Road, which continues around the south and west sides of
16641-493: Was the fastest of the three West Coast states to upgrade sections of US 99 to four lanes and partial Interstate standards using new interchanges, with only 15 miles (24 km) of the highway in northern Whatcom County still two-laned by 1959. Among the first projects to use federal funding from the 1956 act was an upgrade of the Fort Lewis highway to four-lane freeway standards, which opened in September 1957 and included
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