A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Washington Jobs Now - WSDOT to start construction on biggest federal recovery project in the Yakima valley
This project will construct three roundabouts, a new northbound loop on-ramp, and better connections to the ten-mile Yakima Greenway bike/pedestrian pathway. |
It’s the biggest American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project in the Yakima valley and construction is scheduled to begin sometime in the spring. WSDOT is reviewing bids submitted by contractors to rebuild the I-82 Valley Mall Boulevard interchange.
WSDOT and the contractor will reconfigure the Valley Mall Boulevard interchange to provide better, more direct access to and from I-82 and North Rudkin Road, and improve connections to the interstate for both Union Gap and Yakima. Three roundabouts are planned to circulate traffic more quickly and safely through this congested area.
The project will also reconstruct the intersection of Main Street and Valley Mall Boulevard for the City of Union Gap. This includes providing four lanes with left and right turn lanes, a bus pull-out, sidewalks, updates to the storm water drainage systems, street lights, and a traffic signal. WSDOT will set the timing of the updated traffic signal at Main Street and Valley Mall Boulevard to coordinate traffic flow with the new roundabouts.
Depending on weather conditions and the contractor’s schedule, construction on the project could begin as early as March. The project will take two construction seasons to complete, with an estimated completion date of fall 2011.
This is a crucial project for the Yakima valley that will encourage economic growth and development for the cities of Union Gap and Yakima.
The 2005 gas tax package originally was the major source of construction funding for this $35 million project, which includes the purchase of right of way and project design costs. Due to revenue shortfall, construction of this improvement was delayed six years. However, last spring the Governor and Legislature selected the project to receive $30.8 million in federal ARRA funding, providing the necessary dollars to deliver the project on its original schedule.
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Maintenance & Operations feature - SR 18 slide: before, during and after, it was a cooperative effort
WSDOT maintenance crews closed westbound SR 18 on Jan. 14 when heavy rain caused a large section of the hillside to tumble onto the roadway. |
Even before the hillside next to SR 18 in Peasley Canyon in Auburn led the 5 o’clock news, it was on top of mind for WSDOT’s maintenance crews. The concrete barrier put in place years ago to trap small falling rocks was filling up and the hillside was moving. In December, crews put several hundred feet of fence on top of the 2.5-foot barrier already in place. It was a good thing, too. At 3:47 a.m. Thursday, January 14, that fence prevented the first slide from hitting vehicles on westbound SR 18, confining the debris to the shoulder.
Crews kept the shoulder and the right lane closed all day Thursday to watch the slide with an eye to the forecast of heavy rain. Sure enough, at 10:40 p.m. large sections of the hillside carrying boulders and trees tumbled down. We closed the westbound road and posted maintenance nearby. They reported hearing a crash and rumble about 2 a.m.
Maintenance crews put in a call to WSDOT's geotechs who were on scene by 8 a.m. Friday morning. After wading through four TV live trucks, they assessed the situation and identified a clump of trees that could come down and cover the eastbound lanes. That was the decision point for hiring a contractor. Since our crews do not have the skills to scale a 150-foot hillside to take down dangerous cottonwoods, we hired Scarsella Brothers under emergency contract to cut the trees, move the hundreds of cubic yards of dirt and debris and build a wall of Lego-like blocks to protect the road.
Is this the long-term plan? No. The ecology blocks are using the truck climbing lane we built a few years back. But geotechs are hard at work developing a long-term solution to a highway that’s a critical path for commuters, Boeing and other freight. Stay tuned.
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Update of projects under way
I-5, I-205 Vancouver - WSDOT is installing nearly 15 miles of cable median barrier in Clark and Cowlitz counties. During the week of Jan. 25, crews will close a single lane at night on I-5 between the I-205 junction and SR 502 interchange, and between Ridgefield and NW La Center Road for cable median barrier installation. Severe injuries and fatalities often result when a vehicle crosses the median and collides with oncoming traffic. Cable median barrier helps prevent cars from crossing the median and potentially causing deadly head-on collisions. Construction began January 5, 2010, and will be complete by April, 2010.
I-5 Mountlake Terrace - Crews continue working on the I-5 Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station project causing nighttime traffic disruptions on southbound I-5 at 228th Street SW for pavement repair work on Jan. 21. All lanes reopened by 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22. When completed, the freeway station will provide buses with direct access to the I-5 HOV lanes without having to merge across freeway lanes or travel on city streets. Mountlake Terrace transit riders will also notice a faster, smoother commute.
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Announcements
Vessel classification named for new 64-car ferries
Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) announced the vessel classification name of its new 64-car ferries: the Kwa-di Tabil Class. Kwa-di Tabil, (pronounced kwah DEE tah-bale) means “little boat” in the Quileute language.
WSF conducted a contest to name the new vessel classification with fourth-grade students from Chimacum, Port Townsend and Whidbey Island, who are studying Washington state history. Guidelines for contest entries included that the name be unique to Washington state, representative of the local community, have symbolic maritime meaning and be reflective of nature. The winning entry was submitted by a fourth-grade class at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend.
“It’s exciting news for our state’s ferry commuters to know that new boats are on the way, and it’s wonderful that the new class will bear a name with such rich history and meaning here in the Northwest,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “Congratulations to the students at Blue Heron Middle School for their great suggestion and my compliments to all the students who submitted a name.”
A panel of five local and state officials selected the winning entry. The panel included Governor Gregoire’s husband Mike Gregoire, WSDOT Chief of Staff Steve Reinmuth, Coupeville Mayor Nancy Conard, Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval and WSF Port Captain Bill Michael. Governor Gregoire will visit the school this spring to present a plaque commemorating the selection.
The first of the Kwa-di Tabil Class ferries, the Chetzemoka, is scheduled to begin service on the Port Townsend/Keystone route in late summer 2010. WSF awarded a contract in October 2009 to build the second and third Kwa-dee Tabil Class ferries, which will begin service in 2011 and 2012.
WSDOT and the community kick off interchange reconstruction project near Kelso
On January 18, WSDOT and the local community joined together to break ground on a project to improve safety and mobility on I-5, SR 432 and nearby local roads.
The I-5 – SR 432 Talley Way Interchange project reconstructs the I-5 interchange at SR 432 (Exit 36) and the adjacent SR 432 interchange at Talley Way to improve safety and address traffic flow and congestion issues at both interchanges and on SR 432. The construction contract was awarded to Northwest Construction, Inc. of Bellevue on December 15.
The project was funded with $45 million from the 2005 gas tax package and a $3 million federal grant provided by the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments. Construction is expected to begin in February 2010 and to be complete by 2012.
The groundbreaking event featured remarks by regional and local elected officials including Rep. Ed Orcutt, 18th Legislative District; Kelso Mayor David Futcher, and; Longview Mayor Kurt Anagnostou.
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January meetings
25, Monday, 4 - 6 p.m., Public hearing, State Scenic and Recreational Highways Plan - Wenatchee: WSDOT will hold a public hearing to take comments on the draft update of the State Scenic and Recreational Highways Plan. The Plan helps to identify opportunities for partnerships to preserve and enhance Washington's spectacular and diverse landscapes, including scenic, natural, recreational, cultural, and historic resources. Location: WSDOT Area 1 Maintenance Office, 2830 Euclid Avenue, Wenatchee.
26, Tuesday 4 - 6 p.m., Working group meeting - Alaskan Way Viaduct, North Portal - Seattle: The north portal working group was established to help inform the design and environmental review process for the proposed SR 99 bored tunnel. The north portal group discusses access issues in and around the north entrance to the tunnel, urban design features and construction plans. Location: Labor Temple, Hall 1, 2800 First Avenue, Seattle.
26, Tuesday, 4 - 6 p.m., Public hearing, State Scenic and Recreational Highways Plan - Olympia: WSDOT will hold a public hearing to take comments on the draft update of the State Scenic and Recreational Highways Plan. The Plan helps to identify opportunities for partnerships to preserve and enhance Washington's spectacular and diverse landscapes, including scenic, natural, recreational, cultural, and historic resources. Location: Transportation Building, Commission boardroom, 310 Maple Park Ave. SE, Olympia.
27, Wednesday, 4 - 6 p.m., Working group meeting - Alaskan Way Viaduct, South Portal - Seattle: The south portal working group was established to help inform the design and environmental review process for the proposed SR 99 bored tunnel. The south portal group discusses access issues in and around the south entrance to the tunnel, urban design features and construction plans. Location: Puget Sound Regional Council, Board Room, Fifth floor, 1011 Western Avenue, Seattle.
27, Wednesday, 4 - 6 p.m., Public hearing, State Scenic and Recreational Highways Plan - Shoreline: WSDOT will hold a public hearing to take comments on the draft update of the State Scenic and Recreational Highways Plan. The Plan helps to identify opportunities for partnerships to preserve and enhance Washington's spectacular and diverse landscapes, including scenic, natural, recreational, cultural, and historic resources. Location: WSDOT Northwest Region Headquarters, 15700 Dayton Avenue N., Shoreline.
Express Lane Archive
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