City of Woodland - Exit 21

The City is working on the interchange improvement designs at Exit 21 where Interstate-5 (I-5) meets State Route-503 (also known as SR-503 and Lewis River Road).

Why this project? - The improvement project looks to build upon the momentum generated by the City of Woodland, our partners, and our design consultants, so we can make improvements to the transportation system within the Exit 21 interchange area. This project will address our current operational traffic issues but also ensure there is capacity to balance near-term needs with long-term opportunities.

Project purpose - Safe, efficient travel throughout the Exit 21 interchange area is vital to Woodland residents and businesses. This overall project will not only improve east-west mobility for the City, it will also enhance the linkage between the community and I-5. In addition to improving circulation and access, the project will accommodate various modes of travel and reduce both congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. It will also help achieve the strategies outlined in the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Infrastructure Strategic Plan.

The area’s population is growing, sparking new development and placing significant stress on the already struggling interchange area. The roadway system at the Exit 21 interchange experiences heavy congestion during weekday peak traffic hours, causing backups, delays, and waits through more than one signal cycle at intersections. As population and development growth drive greater traffic demand, these issues will grow worse. The interchange will eventually become an obstacle to drivers trying to reach I-5 or cross town if they are not resolved. The City is working with a consultant team led by Kittelson & Associates, Inc. (Kittelson) to address the following primary issues in the study area:

• SR 503/Atlantic Avenue/I-5 Off-ramp – Overall intersection capacity issues for vehicular traffic and queues in the northbound direction that can spill back onto I-5.
• SR 503/Pacific Avenue/I-5 On-ramp – Overall intersection capacity issues for vehicular traffic and long vehicle queueing in the southbound direction.
• The existing signalized cluster interaction between the SR 503/Atlantic Ave/I-5 Off-ramp and SR503/East CC Street intersections causes extended delay and overall intersection inefficiencies.

Concepts being considered - Based on Kittelson's work on those issues, and their tiered approach to developing, evaluating, and screening alternatives, Kittelson was able to narrow the Exit 21 focus to two concepts: Improved Signals and Roundabouts.

The Improved Signals and Roundabouts concepts both help achieve improved operations and safety throughout the interchange area for all motorized and non-motorized users.  The project team is currently in the early phase of engineering and design to advance both concepts through the WSDOT design documentation. They will then take the final improvement concept forward for preparing final Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&E) for project bidding and construction.  

What will I see happen next?

Over the next few months, you will see surveyors and other project team members in the area doing surveys, locating utilities, looking for archaeological resources, and studying the ground soils. This information will be collected and used for both layout and design efforts. 

Look for the City to update this page as progress is made.

Also, look for regular updates at City Council meetings and at Planning Commission hearings.