The Washington State Department of Transportation plans overnight work on Interstate 5 southbound near Centralia tonight, Feb. 11, 2026. Crews are scheduled to carry out guardrail repairs between mileposts 81.9 and 81.5, reducing the roadway to a single open lane from 9 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. 

This stretch of I‑5 in Lewis County consists of just two lanes in each direction. With the right-hand lane closed for repairs, only the left lane will remain open during the repair window. Motorists should expect delays and reduced speeds through the work zone. 

Local station Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG first reported the planned closures and repair schedule. 

Why this matters

The I‑5 corridor is the spine of Longview, Kelso, and Cowlitz County’s access to regional and statewide destinations. Even short nightly lane closures can disrupt freight movement, commuting patterns, and emergency access if they coincide with critical response needs. Nighttime is typically chosen for such work to limit impacts—but when roads narrow to a single lane, backups can still form.

Residents and frequent travelers in the area should allow extra travel time tonight or consider alternate routes where feasible. Real-time traffic conditions can be checked via the WSDOT Travel Map or mobile app. 

What remains unclear

At this time, WSDOT has not released independent confirmation of this schedule through its construction or travel-alert channels. No broader repair timeline or detour information is publicly available beyond what local reporting provides. We will update this article if WSDOT publishes additional details or adjustments to the overnight work. 

Stay tuned to Columbia Countercurrent for updates and local traffic advisories in the Longview–Kelso corridor.