Project of the Week -WSDOT, TIB and Yakima County Team Up to Open New Lanes
The Yakima community celebrates the opening of new lanes on SR 24, five months ahead of schedule. Secretary Doug MacDonald leads the parade across the project finish line. |
Five months ahead of schedule and on budget, the SR 24 improvements in Yakima are now open to traffic. On June 28, WSDOT teamed up with the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and Yakima County to celebrate the opening of all lanes on the
SR 24 Additional Lanes project and the 33rd Street Corridor Improvements project. The I-82/SR 24 interchange now has four new lanes to accommodate traffic and a new bridge crossing the Yakima River, eliminating serious erosion issues threatening the old bridge. Project work included paving a bicycle and pedestrian path that provides a new connection between Yakima, the Yakima Greenway and the communities east of I-82.
This event wasn’t your typical ribbon cutting ceremony. Riding in on his pink bicycle, Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald made his entrance at the ceremony. Guest speakers included: Doug MacDonald, Department of Ecology Director Jay Manning, President of Central Washington State Fair Park Greg Stewart, WSDOT Regional Administrator Don Whitehouse, Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) Director Steve Gorcester, Senator Jim Clements, and Yakima Mayor Dave Edler.
WSDOT recruited the Director for the Department of Ecology Jay Manning and State Senator Jim Clements to wave checkered flags, as local bicyclists and motorists, in a mini-parade, crossed the project finish line. The bikers were the first to cross the finish line with MacDonald leading the pack.
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Incident of the Week - IRT Works Closely with WSP to Clear I-5
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On June 28 at 11 a.m., WSDOT Maintenance Technician Terry Fay alerted Incident Response Coordinator Randy Bateman of an accident on the northbound lanes of I-5. Bateman quickly headed to the scene, just north of the Skookumchuck River Bridge in Lewis County. On arrival, he gathered the details of the incident from Fay and coordinated with local law enforcement to ensure emergency and medical crews were in route.
The Centralia Fire Department soon arrived, along with additional WSDOT Maintenance team members who provided traffic control. A service truck and SUV were partly blocking the northbound right lane. The third vehicle involved in the incident, a van, was blocking the northbound left lane a short distance north along the Interstate.
Shortly after, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) arrived. Bateman and WSP Trooper Hoff checked on the drivers involved in the accident to determine if medical attention was needed. They worked together to remove the injured driver and a passenger from the van to get them medical attention. Both injured occupants were taken by ambulance for medical treatment. Then Bateman and Trooper Hoff moved the disabled van onto the shoulder of the Interstate, allowing the northbound left lane to re-open. Soon after, they successfully moved the disabled SUV and service truck along the shoulder of the highway. All lanes of I-5 northbound were re-opened just before 12 p.m.
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Update of Projects Under Way
US 2 Gold Bar - Crews have begun work to improve safety and traffic flow at the intersection of US Route 2 and Pickle Farm Road/Gunn Road in Gold Bar. Improvements include adding left-turn lanes, reconstructing the existing right turn lane, installing new signs and upgrading sight distance and side slopes.
SR 4 Cathlamet - Repairs to stabilize a slope above State Route (SR) 4 west of Cathlamet began July 5. In January, a slide briefly closed the highway (milepost 25.5) while maintenance crews worked to clear debris. Since that time, engineers have determined that slope stabilization is necessary before next fall’s rain, to reduce the possibility of another slide at this location. Through this project, crews will remove the loose, unstable soil and debris from the slope. They will then stabilize the slope by reinforcing it with rock placed at the lower portion of the slope. This $200,000 project is expected to be completed within 30 working days.
SR 304 Bremerton Tunnel - WSDOT and local officials teamed up with contractor Tri-State Construction Inc. to kick off the SR 304 Bremerton Tunnel project, which redirects off-loading ferry traffic away from the downtown area. This $30.7 million project reduces the pedestrian/vehicle conflict by building a 950-foot-long tunnel that moves a substantial portion of off-loading vehicle ferry traffic through the new tunnel and onto State Route 304/Burwell Street.
I-405 South Bellevue - On July 9, WSDOT and its design-build contractor Atkinson Construction, LLC, started construction to widen four miles of I-405 within the city of Bellevue between 112th Avenue SE and SE 8th Street. The I-405 South Bellevue Widening Project helps relieve congestion by adding lanes and improving merging conditions on the drive into and out of downtown Bellevue. WSDOT will open the new northbound lane between 112th Ave SE and Coal Creek Parkway by May 30, 2008 more than a year before the second stage of the project is complete in fall 2009.
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Announcements
WSDOT and WSP release report on effectiveness of cable median barrier in Washington State
On July 2, WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol released a report requested by Governor Christine Gregoire that details the effectiveness of cable median barrier across Washington State and on I-5 in Marysville in particular. The report reviews the February 13 fatal collision on I-5 in Marysville, statewide cable median barrier performance and other cross-median collisions on I-5 in Marysville. Apart from a 10-mile stretch of I-5 in Marysville, not a single crossover fatality has been recorded on Washington’s freeways in locations with cable median barrier. Analysis by independent expert Dr. Malcolm Ray revealed a unique crash history in Marysville, where four fatal cross-median collisions have occurred since cable median barrier was installed.
Ray recommended installing concrete barrier on the northbound inside shoulder on I-5 through Marysville while leaving the existing cable median barrier adjacent to the southbound lanes. Using both cable barrier and concrete barrier will help keep southbound traffic from crossing into the northbound lanes. Officials also emphasized that no barrier can fully protect against poor choices by drivers, such as excessive speed, distracted driving and impairment.
Quarterly Inspection Shows Alaskan Way Viaduct Continues to Settle
Initial results from the late June 2007 inspection revealed that a section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct has settled an additional ¼ of an inch to a total of approximately five inches. The settlement continues to occur in the same area between Columbia Street and Yesler Way. No new structural damage was caused by the additional settlement, such as widening cracks or development of new cracks.
“We are moving ahead to make repairs to the viaduct between Columbia Street and Yesler Way this fall, and this news reinforces the urgency,” said Project Director Ron Paananen. “These repairs are part of our overall plan to keep drivers safe on the viaduct, and to take down more than half of the viaduct by 2012.”
This fall, WSDOT will strengthen the foundations of the four columns that are settling in this area. The repair work, estimated to cost $5 million, is one part of six improvements planned to replace or repair more than half of the viaduct. The foundation work is expected to take six months to complete, and no lane closures will be required on the viaduct.
Celebration Marks the Start of I-5 Widening in Lewis County
WSDOT, local officials, and contractor Scarsella Brothers, Inc., held a “Bridge Breaking” event on July 3 celebrating the start of widening I-5, from Rush Road to 13th Street in Lewis County. Through this project, four miles of I-5 in northern Lewis County will be widened, from two to three lanes in each direction. In addition, a new interchange will be constructed at LaBree Road. Construction begins this July, and is expected to be complete in late 2009.
This project is the first of several with the goal of relieving congestion, improving freight mobility, economic development and safety through the I-5 corridor. As a result of this project and several others, 18 miles of I-5 will be widened between Rush Road (exit 72) and Maytown (exit 95).
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Gray Notebook Highlight - Aviation Annual Update
WSDOT maintains a statewide airport pavement management system which assesses the relative condition of pavements for selected Washington airports in the state Airport System Plan. WSDOT recently completed a system-wide study of pavement to assess the existing condition of runways, taxiways and aprons. This study included 96 of Washington's 139 public-use airports statewide. The 96 airports selected, comprise 113 million square feet of pavement. As of 2005, 23% of Washington State's 113 million square feet of airport pavement had deteriorated to a point where costly rehabilitation or even reconstruction was needed. The usable life of the remaining pavement can be prolonged with preventative maintenance, such as crack and joint sealing, and surface treatments. Like the roof of a house, it is more cost effective to keep pavement in good condition rather than allowing it to deteriorate to the point where not only the top layer, but the underlying structure must be repaired or replaced. Details on this topic and other key issues can be found in the March 2007 Gray Notebook: www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability
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Upcoming July Open Houses, Meetings and Events
11 - Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Roundabout Test Drive, I-82 Yakima Valley Boulevard - Union Gap: WSDOT project engineers would like to demonstrate the ease and safety of driving a roundabout. We welcome all licensed drivers to test a full-scale, two-lane roundabout, and navigate through the lanes using various routes. We are interested in seeing drivers of big rigs, school buses, emergency vehicles, and other interested local motorists. WSDOT is currently in the design phase for the I-82 Valley Mall Boulevard Interchange Improvements project. Location: Sears Parking lot at the Valley Mall in Union Gap.
11 - Wednesday, 11 a.m., Ribbon-cutting Event, SR 7 Safety Improvements - Spanaway: WSDOT will host an event to mark the completion of the SR 7 safety improvements completed in Pierce County. The project installed and improved traffic signals, built sidewalks and more, to increase safety between SR 507 and SR 512. Location: Wal-Mart parking lot, 20307 Mountain Hwy. E, Spanaway.
15 - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ribbon-cutting Event, New Tacoma Narrows Bridge - Tacoma: WSDOT and Tacoma Narrows Constructors invite the public to join in the opening celebration of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Events include a fun run (8 - 10 a.m.), public ribbon cuttings (public access to the bridge begins at 10 a.m.), photo opportunities and an official dedication (starts 1:30 p.m.). Location: New Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Weekly Report Archive
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