Southbound Interstate 5 will be reduced to one lane for paving north of Burlington all this week.

A half-mile of southbound I-5 with the worst cracking and crumbling, between the Cook Road and Chuckanut Drive interchanges, will be repaved Monday through Thursday.

Department of Transportation maintenance crews describe the freeway surface as looking like "alligator skin.”

They say drivers can expect long delays while southbound I-5 is reduced to one lane from 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.

The on-ramp from Cook Road and exit to Chuckanut Drive in the southbound direction will also be closed during the same time.