WASHINGTON – The federal government is expected to give a $15 million grant to the state of Washington to help improve the flow of traffic on I-5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

A top aide for Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington state, the top-ranked Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said a formal announcement is expected to come from the U.S. Department of Transportation, later this week. Dicks had been pushing for the money, along with Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state.

The money is expected to improve traffic flow on the busy commuter route with more ramp metering, more bypass lanes, more congestion monitoring, and rebuilding connections with the military base to change the distribution of traffic, among other things.

The federal money will pay for just part of the upgrades that have been proposed.

Last year, a study recommended upgrading interchanges and widening the highway, at a cost between $960 million and $1.1 billion.