Relief coming for commuters on I-5 at JBLM

JOINT BASE LEWIS McCHORD, Wash. -- Relief is coming for commuters stuck on Interstate 5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

By next February a new elevated roadway on the base will keep at least 500 service members from needing to use the interstate to get from one section of the base to another.

"That congested area is arguably the most congested chokepoint anywhere from Canada to Mexico, it's that bad," said Rep. Denny Heck, D-Washington, who was on hand for an update on the project site from service members Tuesday morning.

Heck said the project won't solve the problem, but he called it one of several "incremental" improvements needed to relieve the congestion.

According to the U.S. Army, the Joint Base Connector Road will cost $7.5 million.

When completed it will enable service members to travel between what used to be McChord Air Base and the old Fort Lewis without having to get on I-5.