Interstate 82 Road Work Has Begun

A nearly $4 million road work project will cause minor delays for drivers traveling along Interstate 82 between Selah and Union Gap.

Crews are tearing off the top layer of roadway and re-paving all four lanes in both directions.

The Department of Transportation says around 45,000 vehicles use that section of highway every day, and if crews don't smooth out the surface, it won't last another 15 years.

"This is really preservation work," said Don Whitehouse, the Regional Administrator for the Washington State Department of Transportation. "That pavement is about 14 years old, you can see the ruts in it. It's starting to crack and the water's just going to get in there and cause potholes."

Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. each weeknight. Some ramps will also be closed at night, but drivers will be given several days notice in advance.

The road work is expected to be finished by September.