A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Washington Jobs Now - Opening of the new northbound lane on I-405 in Bothell
Photo: The new lane on northbound I-405 was completed five years ahead of schedule thanks to funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
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Bothell commuters and regional drivers alike now have a quicker drive north thanks to the opening of WSDOT’s new lane on northbound I-405 in Bothell from NE 195th Street to SR 527. WSDOT celebrated the new lane at the Canyon Park park-and-ride on June 17.
WSDOT and contractor Kiewit Pacific Co. have spent the past eight months working on this crucial addition to northbound I-405. Crews added the lane in one of the area’s worst traffic bottlenecks, where more than 80 congestion-related collisions have occurred in the past three years. Most of these collisions have been related to cars weaving through traffic to enter and exit the freeway. The extra capacity from the new lane will allow drivers more time to merge into and out of the northbound lanes. Drivers will enjoy noticeably faster speeds during peak commute times and easier access to the Canyon Park park-and-ride.
This $19.3 million project was not scheduled to open to traffic until 2015, but thanks to the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funding, the project received the financial kick-start it needed to move forward.
WSDOT Project Engineer Chad Brown explained that crews worked around the clock to get the job done ahead of schedule. “I want to thank the Bothell residents for their patience during construction,” Brown said.
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Maintenance & Operations Feature - WSDOT adds cameras to US 2
Photo: WSDOT has more than 550 traffic cameras statewide.
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Summer brings higher traffic volumes on US 2 as drivers flock to fairs, festivals, campgrounds and destinations on the east side of the state.
To help keep traffic moving on holiday weekends and throughout the year, WSDOT installed and activated three new highway cameras on US 2 near Sultan at the intersections of Old Owen Road, 5th Street/Mann Road, and Sultan-Basin Road. Crews connected the cameras to WSDOT’s traffic management center in Shoreline last month and made them available online just in time for the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend.
WSDOT operates an extensive network of cameras across the state to help detect congestion, traffic incidents and road conditions. The camera images are sent to our traffic management centers for traffic monitoring, and to our website and the media to keep travelers informed about traffic conditions.
The more than 550 cameras are just one part of WSDOT’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). WSDOT Traffic Operations Division uses the cameras and other ITS tools to help keep Washington moving.
Drivers can use these ITS tools to “know before you go.” ITS is also “on the road” with overhead and roadside electronic signs and the highway advisory radio 530AM and 1610AM. Other “know before you go” tools include:
- 511 - This driver information phone line provides current traffic, incident and closure information. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388. Out-of-state callers can access the information at 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).
- WSDOT’s Traveler Information website - Drivers can see information such as camera images from across the state, the Washington State Ferry schedule and a map showing highway incidents and closures.
WSDOT is using new tools to provide traveler information on social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, and for mobile devices. You can also sign up for specialized e-mail alerts.
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Update of projects under way
I-82 Yakima – The speed limit was reduced from 70 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour through the work zone on eastbound I-82 between Granger and Grandview as WSDOT started construction June 16 to make a stronger road and a smoother ride. WSDOT awarded the federally funded I-82 Granger to Grandview eastbound pavement repair project to Penhall Construction of Rogers, Minnesota. Crews will strengthen and preserve the pavement and make the ride smoother in the eastbound lanes of I-82 by replacing severely cracked panels, installing dowel bars in the wheel paths of the right lane, and grinding the roadway surface. New signs and guardrail will also be constructed for both eastbound and westbound lanes of I-82. The project is expected to be complete October 2010.
I-5 Maytown – On June 14, commuters were shifted to the right on southbound I-5 near Maytown and now travel on the newly constructed bridge that carries I-5 over SR 121 in south Thurston County. The following day, northbound motorists were shifted left onto a new, temporary configuration that moves traffic onto the former southbound lane. WSDOT crews will demolish the existing northbound structure over SR 121 and begin building the new one. This work is part of the $61.5 million project that widens both directions of I-5 from Grand Mound to Maytown to three lanes.
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Announcements
WSDOT Ferries Division begins summer schedule June 20
WSDOT’s Ferries Division (WSF) will begin operating its summer 2010 sailing schedule on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20, with additional vessels, sailings and service hours on the more popular tourism routes. The increased service levels will help locals and tourists alike take summer trips to the San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island, Vashon Island, and the Olympic Peninsula. The summer schedule runs through September 25 and the new, red-printed 2010 summer schedules are available at all ferry terminals and on the vessels. Summer service changes include:
- Anacortes/San Juan Islands: An additional vessel and increased hours of service. Customers should note a change from the printed schedule: the 5:50 a.m. sailing from Friday Harbor will stop at Lopez Island at approximately 6:25 a.m. and load Anacortes-bound traffic. This Lopez stop was added after the schedule went to print, in response to customer feedback.
- Anacortes/Sidney, B.C.: Two daily trips instead of one.
- Edmonds/Kingston: Commuters and other regular customers should note many five- to ten-minute adjustments to sailing times. These changes were made to improve schedule reliability, meet transit connections, and adhere to U.S. Coast Guard crew endurance requirements.
- Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Extra weekend service on both Saturday and Sunday.
Customers should begin planning ahead for the busy Fourth of July weekend. The heaviest traffic is expected westbound Thursday, July 1 and Friday, July 2, and eastbound Monday, July 5. Reservations are available now for the holiday weekend on the Port Townsend/Keystone and Anacortes/Sidney, B.C. routes. Travelers should allow extra time for long waits at all terminals during the holiday weekend, especially in the San Juan Islands.
Students win top prize in statewide transportation art and essay contest
Taylor Moulton, third grader from Mountainview Elementary in Yakima, and Cassidy Rudd, fifth grader from North Bend Elementary in North Bend, were honored for their participation in the sixth annual I-90 Bridging Futures Art and Essay Contest. WSDOT and the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition held surprise presentations at each student’s school to honor them for their outstanding creativity. As part of the contest’s grand prize, Moulton’s artwork will be displayed on a billboard in Seattle on Dearborn Street, and Rudd’s artwork will be displayed on a billboard in Ellensburg off of I-90 from July 12 to Aug. 12.
More than 200 students ranging in age from six to 11 participated in the Bridging Futures Contest from schools across the state, including Yakima, North Bend, Cle Elum, Easton, Burien, and Selah. The students created drawings depicting wildlife bridges – an essential part of the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project – and essays highlighting the importance of considering wildlife when planning and designing our state’s highways. The contest judges included representatives from Governor Chris Gregoire’s office, Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond, Representative Judy Clibborn, Representative Bill Hinkle, I-90 Snoqualmie East Project Engineer Randy Giles, and I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition Director Charlie Raines.
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June meetings
22, Tuesday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Local meeting, Washington State Transportation Commission – Aberdeen: As part of their outreach efforts, the Transportation Commission will hold a meeting for local officials of the Grays Harbor area to share their transportation challenges and priorities. A public comment period is also scheduled during the meeting. Location: Port of Grays Harbor Commission Meeting Room, 115 South Wooding Street, Aberdeen.
23, Wednesday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Washington State Transportation Commission Meeting – Olympia: The Transportation Commission will discuss SR 520 Bridge toll setting and receive a report from the WSDOT on its efforts to implement efficiencies and reforms in Washington State Ferries operations. Location: Transportation Building, 310 Maple Park Ave. SE, Olympia.
23, Wednesday, 6:45 – 8 p.m., Presentation, SR 520 Tolling – Seattle: WSDOT’s Toll Division will provide an update on SR 520 tolling to Laurelhurst Community Club at their Annual Neighbors Meeting. Location: Laurelhurst Community Center, 4554 NE 41st St., Seattle.
24, Thursday, 5 – 7 p.m., Public hearing, SR 520 Pontoon Construction Project - Aberdeen: WSDOT project staff will hold a hearing to receive public comments on the draft environmental impact statement for the SR 520 Pontoon Construction Project. Location: Aberdeen High School, 410 North G St., Aberdeen.
Express Lane Archive
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