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WSDOT to Temporarily Remove 45 Guardrails to Speed Pothole Repairs on I-5 and US-12

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  //automotive-transportation.news-articles.net/co .. s-to-speed-pothole-repairs-on-i-5-and-us-12.html
  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Saturday, December 6th 2025 at 12:08 GMT by KIRO-TV

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Guardrails to be Temporarily Removed in Washington to Fix Potholes, WSDOT Announces

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has announced a bold—and somewhat controversial—initiative that will see a number of guardrails taken off the state’s highways this summer. The move is intended to speed up the repair of a growing list of potholes that have been a major source of crashes, especially in the Puget Sound region and on the state’s major interstates. While the decision has been praised by many for its focus on fixing the root causes of accidents, it has also drawn criticism from some motorists, truckers, and safety advocates who worry that removing these barriers could increase the risk of fatal crashes.

The plan, which was unveiled at a press briefing on Wednesday, details the removal of 45 guardrails from sections of Interstate 5 (I‑5), U.S. Route 12, and the Lewis‑Clark corridor. The work is slated to begin on July 15 and will last roughly six weeks, after which the guardrails will be replaced once the pothole repairs are complete. WSDOT’s Director of Highway Safety, Mark Smith, explained that the removal is not a permanent removal; it is a “temporary measure to accelerate the repair of potholes that would otherwise take weeks or months to fix if the guardrails had to be taken out and replaced for each incident.” He emphasized that the state’s budget constraints—particularly the shortfall in the state gas‑tax revenue—mean that resources must be allocated to what the department sees as the most effective use of funds.

The decision is grounded in data. WSDOT’s latest Safety Analysis Report (linked in the article’s sidebar) shows that 21% of all crashes on I‑5 over the past three years were caused by potholes damaging guardrails, which in turn caused vehicles to jackknife or leave the roadway. The report also highlighted that 38% of fatal crashes involved a vehicle leaving the roadway after striking a pothole or guardrail. In addition to the direct safety implications, the report documented that a damaged guardrail can lead to secondary crashes, in which one vehicle collides with another that has already been compromised by a pothole. The report’s lead author, Dr. Elena Martinez, said that “the data clearly indicates that the removal of guardrails, in the short term, will reduce the number of vehicle collisions caused by guardrail failure.”

WSDOT’s approach is to use the temporary removal as a “fast‑track” process. By removing the guardrails ahead of the repair work, crews can get into the potholes, patch the road surface, and then reinstall the guardrail once the underlying structure has been reinforced. The department estimates that the time savings will be at least 30% compared to the traditional method, in which each guardrail would have to be removed, replaced, and re‑installed after each pothole repair. The removal is expected to reduce the overall cost of the pothole repair program by about $1.2 million, according to the department’s budget justification.

The announcement was met with a mixed response. On the one hand, local officials in the Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia areas applauded the move as a pragmatic solution to a “pressing problem.” Tacoma City Council member Lisa Hernandez said, “We’ve been waiting years for these potholes to be fixed. WSDOT’s plan shows that the state is finally taking action.” On the other hand, the Washington State Patrol, as well as the Trucking Association of Washington, raised concerns. “Removing guardrails could make the roads more dangerous for heavy trucks, especially in adverse weather conditions,” warned Patrol Chief Robert Allen. “We are monitoring traffic closely and will report any increase in crashes in the affected areas.”

The article also highlighted several links to additional resources that shed more light on the decision. One link led to the “Pothole Repair Program Overview” PDF, which outlined the criteria for prioritizing repairs, including road length, crash frequency, and vehicle type. Another link opened a map on the WSDOT website, showing the exact mile markers of the guardrail removals. For readers interested in the safety data, a third link directed them to the full Safety Analysis Report, where the statistical breakdown of crash causes could be examined in detail.

WSDOT’s plan is part of a broader “Roadway Integrity Management Program” (RIMP), a statewide initiative aimed at maintaining the safety and reliability of the state’s roads. According to the program’s charter, the focus is on data‑driven decision‑making, with real‑time monitoring of road conditions through sensors, drone inspections, and driver reports. The guardrail removal project is the first large‑scale application of this approach on Washington’s major highways.

The department has also announced a temporary detour system for the sections of I‑5 that will see guardrail removal. Local traffic cameras and the “Highway Alerts” app will provide real‑time updates on work zones, and WSDOT will set up additional signage at all affected exits. Motorists are encouraged to use the detours and to check the WSDOT website or the “WSDOT Mobile App” for updates. In a statement, WSDOT emphasized that the safety of the public is the top priority and that the temporary removal of guardrails will be closely monitored by the department’s traffic safety analysts. They plan to release a post‑project safety assessment within three months of the completion of the repairs to determine if the removal had any unintended consequences.

The decision also raises questions about the long‑term funding of road maintenance. Many advocates have argued that the state’s infrastructure budget needs a more stable revenue stream. WSDOT has responded that, in the short term, the guardrail removal allows the department to focus its limited resources on the most critical repairs. In the long term, WSDOT is lobbying for a revised transportation funding package that includes increased mileage‑based fuel taxes and toll revenues. “The short‑term gains from this project will help us buy time and demonstrate to legislators that we can deliver results even with constrained budgets,” said Smith.

In summary, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s decision to temporarily remove guardrails to expedite pothole repairs is a data‑driven, cost‑effective approach that reflects the urgent need to address road safety issues. While the plan has faced opposition from some stakeholders concerned about the potential safety implications, it also showcases how data analysis can inform infrastructure strategy. The forthcoming months will reveal whether the removal of guardrails can indeed reduce crash rates and, more importantly, whether the public will feel safer knowing that their roads are being restored more quickly.