The Big Fix freeway project gears up again tonight with a six-day closure of Interstate 5's southbound lanes downtown.
The shutdown – between the J Street exit and P Street onramp – is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.
Crews will grind the freeway surface smooth and add a 3/4-inch seal coat of polyester concrete on top.
The southbound lanes are expected to reopen permanently by 5 a.m., Tuesday, July 15.
A similar closure of the northbound lanes will follow July 17 to 24.
The $37 million project is designed to solve ongoing drainage problems on the freeway's sunken "boat section" just south of Old Sacramento. Work has involved tearing out and replacing the road's top surface, as well as putting in a new drainage system.
Caltrans officials are asking drivers to stay away from southbound I-5 during the closures if they don't need to come downtown. However, they said, southbound commuters can still get into downtown from the freeway on both the Richards Boulevard and J Street exits.
Drivers responded well to two June freeway closures. Traffic jams have been few.
"We're a little concerned about the fact that people have had a couple weeks off since the last closure," spokesman Mark Dinger said. "People may have gotten complacent. The proof will be in the pudding Wednesday morning."
During the previous southbound lane closures, commute-hour traffic on I-5 dropped from an average of 6,000 vehicles per hour to 4,000 vehicles per hour, Caltrans' Joe Horton reported.
"People have stepped up to the plate," Horton said.
Call The Bee's Tony Bizjak, (916) 321-1059.
