Project of the Week - Crews install girders for a new SR 502 interchange
Sixteen girders will support the new interchange bridge being built at SR 502 and I-5 near Battle Ground. |
After two hours on the road, a truck carrying bridge girders from Tacoma finally came upon the SR 502 Interchange Project site, about 10 miles north of Vancouver. The massive girders, 180 feet in length and 83 inches deep, had to continue south on I-5 until they reached SR 14 to turn around and come back. Once they returned to the project site, crews could begin installation of the girders on the SR 502 overpass that will link the growing city of Battle Ground directly to I-5.
In addition to improving access to Battle Ground, the SR 502 Interchange Project will ease congestion and improve safety on I-5 as well as at the NE 179th Street interchange and the junction of I-5 and I-205 just south of the project.
The project reached a critical point this week as crews installed 16 bridge girders that will support the span of SR 502 as it crosses over I-5. This phase of the project required a great deal of coordination between WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol as rolling slowdowns and temporary lane closures were conducted to ensure the safety of WSDOT crews and the traveling public on this busy stretch of I-5. Additionally, flaggers were posted at the 179th Street and Gee Creek Rest Area on-ramps to help guide drivers as they enter the freeway.
WSDOT crews are ahead of schedule on the overpass and expect to finish installing the girders one day early. The next step for this project will be construction of the overpass deck, with completion scheduled for late spring. The project is scheduled for completion in 2009.
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Incident of the Week - Semi fires and lost loads keep IRT busy
WSDOT's Incident Response Team closed I-5 lanes in Tacoma when semi-truck fire threatened motorist safety. |
On Thursday, Jan. 10, the morning commute had ended with no problems. The sun was coming out and it looked like it was going to be a quiet afternoon on I-5 in Tacoma. That was until 11 a.m., when a semi traveling southbound I-5 pulled to the shoulder at 56th Street due to smoke coming from his cab. The smoke was increasing and by the time Incident Response Team (IRT) member Willie Ramsey got to the scene, the truck cab was fully engulfed in flames.
Fire trucks arrived quickly and Ramsey closed all lanes of I-5 just prior to the scene while crews fought to extinguish the flames. IRT's Kathy Vatter and Brian Farrar blocked the collector-distributor lanes and the southbound on-ramp from 56th Street to I-5. At 11:23 a.m., the two left lanes were reopened, but by then traffic was backed up to Port of Tacoma Road (approximately five miles). The roadway and all ramps were completely open to traffic by 3 p.m.
The next few days were calm for the IRT until 11 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 12. That’s when a semi crashed into the jersey-barrier on I-5 near Berkley, completely losing the container it was carrying and knocking a light pole into lanes. Northbound I-5 was completely blocked and southbound I-5 had one lane open. Once again, IRT's trio of Vatter, Ramsey and Farrar were all on scene for traffic control. They put signs alerting motorists that the roadway was closed ahead in both directions of I-5. Two-lanes reopened in each direction by 2:20 a.m., with no backups. WSDOT's signal crew was busy trying to repair the light pole while maintenance workers repaired the jersey-wall and swept debris from the roadway. By 3:41 a.m., all lanes in both directions were open to traffic, and IRT members began picking up signs. By 4 a.m., all signs were clear and Ramsey, Vatter and Farrar were headed home.
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Update of Projects Under Way
I-5 Chehalis - The LaBree Bridge over I-5 in Chehalis will close to all traffic until construction of a new interchange is complete. Contractor crews will begin demolishing the LaBree Road bridge, requiring night time traffic shifts and causing possible delays. The demolition work will be done in the form of “crunching” – a slow, methodical process of slowly picking away and containing small chunks of the bridge. This form of demolition removes the bridge in stages, over as many as four nights, rather than all at once. After the structure is removed, a new interchange will be built at the location. The new interchange is expected to be functional late next year. Work is part of the I-5, Rush Road to 13th Street project that began in July 2007.
US 101 Lilliwaup - Crews began work on Jan. 11 to stabilize a slope along U.S. 101 in Mason County. The work requires traffic revisions, including a reduced speed limit from 40 mph to 25 mph near the town of Lilliwaup. The southbound lane is closed at the work site to provide workers room for construction, and stop signs have been installed in both the northbound and southbound directions. Drivers should treat this intersection as a two-way stop and be extra attentive while driving this stretch of roadway. WSDOT estimates the revisions will be in place through the second half of February, while crews stabilize an embankment that washed out during the Dec. 4 flooding event.
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Announcements
Investigation continues after Biggs Bridge work zone accident
An accident at the US 97 Biggs Bridge Deck Replacement project in Klickitat County claimed the life of a construction worker on Jan. 15. A Mowat Construction Company excavator rig tipped over and went off the bridge deck into the Columbia River, taking the operator with it. The construction worker was transported to the hospital, and later succumbed to his injuries.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, the rest of his crew, and the entire Mowat organization,” said Paula Hammond, Transportation Secretary. “This is a very difficult time for them and for us. It is also another somber reminder that our work and our work zones require the highest level of safety and precaution.”
Clean up work and extraction of submerged equipment near the US 97 Biggs Bridge started on Jan. 16. The construction project remains on hold until the investigation of the accident by the Department of Labor and Industries concludes.
WSDOT wins three communications awards from the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC
At their annual meeting in Washington D.C. this week, the Transportation Research Board gave top communications awards to WSDOT. The communications competition attracted 80 entries from around the world. WSDOT won three of 11 awards in the communications competition designed to highlight creative ways to communicate complex information to the public.
TRB Communications Awards for WSDOT:
• Holiday Travel Graphs were developed to communicate anticipated peak travel times in the mountain passes, particularly for Interstate 90, that help people plan their trips.
• “Burl the Squirrel” is a cartoon character that is part of an activity book used to educate children about the importance of the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project.
• “Rachel’s Drive” is a video with computer animation that shows how the new high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes will work on State Route 167 between Renton and Auburn.
The Transportation Research Board is a national organization that encourages innovation in transportation and is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council.
I-5 flow map now stretches to Fort Lewis/DuPont
The statewide traveler information page now has a flow map showing traffic conditions in the Fort Lewis/DuPont area, giving drivers who travel this busy stretch of highway a tool to help plan their commutes. Extending the flow map into this area is especially useful as traffic volumes are increasing near Fort Lewis. Gate counts from the Fort have risen from 265,000 in 2006 to 317,000 in 2007. To help alleviate congestion in the area, drivers not exiting at Fort Lewis are encouraged to stay in the left two lanes.
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Gray Notebook Highlight - Intelligent Transportation Systems
WSDOT's 179 variable message signs are used to provide motorists with information on traffic congestion, incidents, construction work, travel times and temporary speed limit changes. They may also suggest alternate travel routes, warn of traffic slowdowns on the roadway ahead, or provide other alerts and warnings.
WSDOT is one of several active member of the Washington State AMBER Alert program. WSDOT posts AMBER alerts on variable message signs and broadcasts on highway advisory radios. Since it began, Washington's AMBER Alert System has issued 20 alerts for 29 children. Four of these alerts for six children were unsubstantiated. Of the remaining 16 alerts, 22 children were recovered. Sadly, one child was found deceased.
The AMBER alert communications network originated in the Dallas-Fort Worth area after the tragic abduction and murder of 9-year old Amber Hagerman. In response, broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children. In 2002, AMBER Alert became a national coordinated effort.
More information on the use of variable message signs and other Intelligent Transportation System devices can be found in the September 2007 Gray Notebook at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability.
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January open houses, meetings, events
22 & 23, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m - 5 p.m., Monthly Meeting, Washington State Transportation Commission - Olympia: The State Transportation Commission, an independent state agency, will hold its monthly meeting, which is open to the public. The Commission oversees the implementation of transportation policy and the operational plans for highways, ferries and intercity passenger rail. Location: Transportation Building, 310 Maple Park Avenue SE, Olympia, WA.
23, Wednesday, 4 - 7 p.m., PSRC public outreach, Destination 2040 - Tacoma: The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is updating Destination 2030, its 30-year transportation plan for the Puget Sound region, and they want to get public input on issues (climate change, congestion, etc.), transportation alternatives, criteria and environmental impacts to be included in the plan. WSDOT staff for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge project also will be available. Location: Main Library, 1102 Tacoma Avenue S., Tacoma.
24, Thursday, 3 - 6 p.m., PSRC public outreach, Destination 2040 - Auburn: The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is updating Destination 2030, its 30-year transportation plan for the Puget Sound region, and they want to get public input on issues (climate change, congestion, etc.), transportation alternatives, criteria and environmental impacts to be included in the plan. WSDOT staff for the SR 167 Corridor Plan and the SR 167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project also will be available. Location: City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn.
24, Thursday, 6 - 8 p.m., Public input meeting, SR 167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project - Renton: The Washington State Transportation Commission and WSDOT are holding a public input meeting for people who are interested in the new State Route 167 high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes pilot project. People will have an opportunity to learn more about the project and comment on a proposed toll schedule for use of the HOT lanes. Location: Renton City Hall, Council Chambers, 1055 South Grady Way, Renton.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Weekly Report Archive
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