A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Washington Jobs Now - Braided ramps to bring congestion and collision relief to southbound I-5 in Lynnwood
Photo: WSDOT will build new ramps to separate traffic entering the freeway from traffic exiting southbound I-5 to 196th Street SW in Lynnwood.
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Commuters on southbound I-5 through Lynnwood can look forward to safer, smoother trips coming in fall 2011. On June 23, WSDOT opened contractors' bids for a project to build new “braided” on- and off-ramps that will help eliminate the lane-weaving traffic snarls on southbound I-5 between I-405 and 196th Street SW.
Close to 100,000 drivers use this stretch of I-5 everyday. The slow-moving traffic exiting to 196th Street SW mixes with fast-paced freeway traffic, leading to collisions and significant rush-hour backups on southbound I-5. Rear-end and sideswipe collisions account for 75 percent of the collisions on this stretch of I-5.
The 2005 gas tax provided $52 million in funding to build new ramps to separate traffic merging from I-405 and SR 525 to southbound I-5 from traffic exiting southbound I-5 to 196th Street SW.
“If you’re a regular driver through this area, you can look forward to much-improved traffic flow when we finish work next year,” said Janice Fahning, Project Engineer.
In the meantime, drivers should plan ahead for some changes and closures during construction. When construction begins later this summer, crews will close the HOV lane on the ramp from SR 525 to southbound I-5 for at least a year to create a safe work space. Traffic engineers expect delays during the first few weeks of construction as people adjust to the changes. Drivers can visit WSDOT’s website to see how construction will affect their trips and how they can avoid delays.
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Maintenance & Operations Feature - Use WSDOT tools to avoid holiday travel headache
Photo: The amount of traffic on I-90 Snoqualmie Pass could double over the holiday weekend.
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WSDOT encourages drivers to use travel planning tools and declare independence from highway delays this Fourth of July weekend.
WSDOT offers many ways to know before you go, including our website and the 24-hour 511 traveler information line. Using those tools, travelers can avoid the 27-mile backups that formed as Memorial Day weekend came to a close. Many chose to travel on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass on Monday afternoon during peak hours, leading to almost three-hour delays.
Another resource for travelers is a list of the times and places drivers may likely see weekend delays on US 2, I-90, I-5 at the Canadian Border, and I-5 south of Olympia through Lewis County.
Work at most construction projects around the state will move off the highway from noon on July 2 until the morning of July 6. Although there may not be active construction over the holiday weekend, drivers should prepare for shifted lanes, roadway detours, and reduced speed zones in places.
Drivers should expect longer-than typical wait times at ferry docks. Travel times are significantly lighter Wednesday and Thursday mornings before the Fourth of July weekend and on the day after the actual holiday. Amtrak Cascades is also very popular on holiday weekends. Travelers are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance and arrive early at the station for departure. Visit the Amtrak Cascades website or call 1-800-USA-RAIL for more information.
Know Before you go:
- 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 call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).
- On WSDOT’s travel 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 (Twitter, Facebook) and for mobile devices. You can also sign up for specialized e-mail alerts.
On the Road:
- Overhead and roadside electronic signs.
- Highway advisory radio - WSDOT advises drivers to program 530AM and 1610AM on your radio.
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Update of projects under way
SR 516 Covington – WSDOT crews began repairing and repaving more than a mile of SR 516 in Covington on June 21. The first step will be to upgrade sidewalks and ramps to ADA standards. Then crews will grind down the existing lanes, install traffic signal detection loops, and repave the road with smooth new asphalt. Lane closures are expected to begin the week of June 28. WSDOT expects to complete the repaving work from 160th St. SE to the Covington city limits by mid-September. This $2.5 million project will extend the pavement life and provide a smoother ride for the nearly 37,000 drivers who use this stretch of road daily. The current asphalt lanes are rutted and cracked because of heavy traffic along SR 516.
I-5 Fife – Crews widening I-5 for HOV lanes in Pierce County closed lanes and ramps on June 23 to install a new sign bridge structure over the freeway. Lane and ramps were re-opened the morning of June 24. The I-5 - Port of Tacoma Road Interchange to King County Line - HOV Lanes project adds carpool lanes on northbound and southbound I-5 from the King County line to the Port of Tacoma Road interchange in Fife – about three miles in each direction. Construction began in August 2009 and is scheduled to be complete in late 2011.
I-82 Union Gap – As part of the I-82 Valley Mall Blvd. Rebuild Interchange project, WSDOT reduced the speed limit on I-82 to 50 mph in both directions from the Nob Hill Blvd. interchange (exit 34) to South Union Gap (milepost 37) on June 25. The reduced speed limit will help reduce the risk of work zone collisions as WSDOT continues constructing detours and prepares to shift traffic onto the temporary detour in early July. The 50 mph speed limit will be in effect until the project is complete in fall 2011.
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Announcements
Biennial inspection performed on the Hood Canal Bridge
WSDOT bridge preservation teams performed structural inspections underneath the Hood Canal Bridge on June 21-24. These biennial inspections are performed by WSDOT bridge crews using the under bridge inspection truck, or UBIT, for access underneath the bridge from one end to the other. The UBIT uses an entire lane which requires traffic to be reduced to a single, alternating lane. WSDOT inspected 1,864 state and local agency-owned bridges in 2009. This year, we are scheduled to inspect 1,963 bridges, including 67 underwater bridge inspections performed by WSDOT’s specialized bridge inspection dive team.
Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee Seeks New Members
The Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee (ACAC) is currently recruiting new committee members to fill vacancies in October. To maintain the committee’s commitment to the diversity of passenger needs, the ACAC invites candidates who use Amtrak Cascades and the Empire Builder for business travel, vacation, and are seniors or people with disabilities. Members attend two national meetings per year within the Amtrak system, as well as regional meetings. Projects and intra-committee work is accomplished via monthly teleconferences and e-mail.
Applications for ACAC membership must include (1) a letter of interest explaining how the candidate’s travel, customer, educational, and work experiences can benefit Amtrak and the committee’s work, (2) a resume, (3) a list of the short- and long-distance Amtrak trips that the candidate has taken during the past twelve months and (4) planned trips for the next 12 months.
Completed application packages should be sent by August 21, 2010 to:
Ms. Kate Warr
Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee
505 Capitol Court, NE Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20002
acac@amtrak.com
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June and July events
29, Tuesday, 2 – 3 p.m., Goundbreaking, Alaskan Way Viaduct S. Holgate Street to S. King Street project – Seattle: Gov. Christine Gregoire will host a groundbreaking event for the kick-off of the south end viaduct construction. Location: Construction staging area next to 1051 First Ave. S, Seattle.
July
8, Thursday, noon – 1 p.m., Celebration of Progress, US 12 Frenchtown to Walla Walla project – Walla Walla: The US 12 Coalition and WSDOT are co-hosting a "Celebration Of Progress" for the completion of the latest project on the US 12 corridor from the Tri-Cities to Walla Walla. Location: the project site between the two roundabouts at the US 12/Myra Road interchange, Walla Walla.
Express Lane Archive
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