A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Project of the Week - US 2, West Side of Stevens Pass - Electronic Signage
Two new variable speed limit signs, similar to this one, are planned for US 2 on Stevens Pass to help traffic flow smoothly during the winter months. |
One of the keys to keeping the mountain passes open when winter weather or incidents threaten to close them is to keep traffic moving. Through its
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), WSDOT is expanding the resources available on US 2 Stevens Pass to manage traffic and keep it flowing smoothly.
Fiber optic cable is being extended for two miles to the west side of the Stevens Pass summit, connecting two new electronic variable speed limit signs and another traffic camera with the WSDOT Traffic Management Center (TMC) in Wenatchee. The new variable speed limit signs are being added on the steep west side of the pass, between two existing signs that are six miles apart. The TMC is in direct radio contact with our Stevens Pass maintenance crews and they're also connected electronically to real-time weather, road sensors and video cameras at the summit. This allows WSDOT to closely monitor ever-changing conditions and respond quickly with electronic messages for motorists and adjusted speed limits on either side of the Stevens Pass summit. The posted speed limits on these signs are enforceable by troopers and deputies.
Up until now, eastbound vehicles that stopped for whatever weather or traffic reasons between Tunnel Creek (MP 60) and the west summit (MP 64.5) where the grade is 5 to 6 %, often could not get restarted. This resulted in blocked lanes, stopping all traffic. Stevens Pass was closed 11 times during the past winter for a total of 87 hours due to weather-related incidents.
With the variable speed limits in place, the goal is to keep traffic flowing at lower posted speeds, and reduce the number of closures. The $862,000 project gets underway Monday, August 25th and will be complete in September.
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Maintenance & Operations Feature - WSDOT assists Mt. Adams firefighters
WSDOT's SW Region Maintenance crews provided much-needed traffic control on SR 141 at the busy hub of Mt. Adams fire-control operations. |
In mid-July, WSDOT's Southwest Region maintenance employees supported the Central Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team as fire crews battled the Cold Springs Fire near Mount Adams. In the end, the fire burned nearly 7,800 acres of forested land throughout Skamania and Yakima counties.
From July 12-25, approximately 2,000 firefighters and support personnel descended upon the town of Trout Lake, a small community near the north end of SR 141 in Klickitat County. An Incident Command Center was set up at the Trout Lake School, and “SR 141 ran directly through the middle of the designated Command Center and camp area,” said Bingen Maintenance Supervisor Don Morby. With hundreds of people crossing SR 141 during shift changes, the Incident Management Team asked WSDOT to provide traffic control. Maintenance crews set up three variable message signs (VMS), a highway advisory radio (HAR) mobile trailer, and traffic barricades and cones to help keep pedestrians safe while crossing SR 141. Traffic was also slowed to 25 miles per hour in the Command Center area.
In addition to traffic control, the Maintenance crew took on a small project to help incident crews access the staging areas with their large equipment. They used recycled rock from rockfall projects in the Columbia River Gorge to reinforce access points off the highway and allow for safer, easier access to area fields being leased for staging.
To add to the complexity of this incident, the Annual Trout Lake Arts Festival was scheduled to occur during the height of the fire. This event usually brings about 7,000 to 10,000 visitors to the area, complicating traffic control efforts. Additionally, the Gorge Games were underway in Hood River, bringing kayaking events to the White Salmon River via SR 141. Throughout this event, safety for the firefighters and the public traveling along SR 141 was the number one concern. As a result of the Maintenance crew's hard work and attention to detail, no traffic-related injuries occurred during the event.
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Update of projects under way
SR 16 Tacoma Narrows Bridge - On August 18 crews will begin a three-month project constructing noise barriers along SR 16’s eastbound span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The noise barriers will help reduce the sound, which nearby residents say is similar to a zipper opening – but much louder. This sound can be heard an average of 40,000 times a day, when cars travel over the expansion joints on both ends of the bridge. The noise has been one of very few complaints by nearby residents about the one-year-old span that opened to traffic July 16, 2007. Engineers hope to zap the zipper sound with noise-absorbent panels placed on the sides of the bridge anchors.
US 97 Biggs Rapids-Sam Hill Bridge - Night time single-lane closures for the US 97, Biggs Rapids-Sam Hill Bridge Deck Replacement Project begin August 18. Crews will be installing work platforms along the south span of the bridge in preparation for the full closure of the bridge to complete deck reconstruction. This advance work will allow the contractor to start demolition of the bridge deck immediately after the full closure begins in September. A complete closure of the bridge begins Wednesday, September 3. The closure will remain in effect until the project is complete sometime in early 2009. During the closure, drivers seeking to cross the Columbia River will be directed by signs to the Dalles Bridge, US 197.
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Announcements
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Project named finalist in National Transportation Award Competition - Public can vote for its choice
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge project is one of 10 signature transportation projects named as finalists for the prestigious “America’s Transportation Award,” reflecting the best in management and innovation by the American Association of State Highway Transportation officials (AASHTO). Spectacular bridges, toll and access roads, innovative interchanges and interstates will now compete for the Grand National Prize – selected by a panel of community, business and transportation leaders – and the People’s Choice Award – which will be decided by an online voting process.
The America’s Transportation Award recognizes achievement in the development and construction of transportation projects. Forty-one projects were entered into the America’s Transportation Awards competition with 23 chosen as regional winners, narrowing the field to 10 finalists. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge project team won the regional competition among 18 western states in the category for "on time delivery" for projects exceeding $200 million.
The Grand National Prize-winning state will receive funds to support a graduate-level educational grant in the transportation field. The People’s Choice Award will fund a community service project selected by the winning state department of transportation. Awards will be presented at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Hartford, Connecticut, October 19. On-line voting for the People’s Choice Award began Aug. 13 and will continue to October 19. Cast your vote: http://www.americastransportationaward.org/Voting.aspx
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August open houses, meetings, and events
21, Thursday, 3 p.m., Kick-off event, Green Bike Project - Seattle: The new Green Bike Project will provide commuter bicycles, tune-ups, training, and gear for up to 300 commuters in exchange for the pledge to reduce drive-alone trips by 60 percent between now and May 2009. The project is a partnership between King County Metro Transit, the Washington State Department of Transportation, Cascade Bicycle Club, and outdoor gear retailer REI. WSDOT is providing funding for the program through the Trip Reduction Performance Program. Location: REI store, 222 Yale Avenue N., Seattle.
28, Thursday, 4 - 7:30 p.m., Central Waterfront Advisory Committee meeting, Alaskan Way Viaduct - Seattle: The Alaskan Way Viaduct program office will host the next Stakeholder Advisory Committee meeting. The committee is a group of 30 people representing various constituencies and community groups and is led by WSDOT, King County Department of Transportation and Seattle Department of Transportation. Location: Seattle City Hall, Bertha Landes Room, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle.
Express Lane Archive
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