A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
September 8, 2008 Weekly Report - Time 5:00 (mp3)
Project of the Week - We’ve published the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Final EIS - Join us at one of our open houses
Above is a design visualization of how the expanded snowshed on I-90 Snoqualmie Pass might look when completed. |
WSDOT along with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project Final Environmental Impact Statement.
"Publishing the I-90 Project Final EIS is a significant milestone that gets us one step closer to beginning construction in 2009," said Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation. "This project addresses three of our most significant transportation priorities – safety, preserving the system and congestion. It's imperative that we take measures today to ensure that I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass remains a safe and reliable freight and travel corridor connecting eastern and western Washington."
The Final EIS contains information on how WSDOT addressed the comments from the draft EIS, identified a preferred alternative, and updated information on a wide range of environmental and engineering topics, including air quality, water resources, noise, cultural resources, transportation, economics, design challenges, fish and wildlife, and wetlands.
WSDOT will improve public safety and increase the reliability of a critical 15-mile corridor east of Snoqualmie Pass by straightening roadway curves, stabilizing rock slopes, replacing deteriorating concrete pavement, adding capacity, and improving bridges, culverts, and ecological connections. The completed project, which will reduce road closures due to avalanches, will make the movement of people and goods on this vital cross-state corridor more efficient while preserving and improving the environment affected by the project. Construction is scheduled to begin on the first five miles of the project in 2009.
WSDOT will host a series of four open houses Sept. 9, Sept. 11, Sept. 16, and Sept. 18 to discuss the environmental impact statement’s findings. You may also attend an online virtual open house on Thursday, September 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. Visit our Web site for details: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/SnoqualmiePassEast/Default.htm
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Maintenance & Operations Feature - Advanced warning signs, guardrail save the day, maybe lives, on Satus Pass
Advanced warning of "work ahead" on US 97 gave this trucker an opportunity to bring his rig to a stop using the guardrail, avoiding injury to the maintenance crew or motorists. |
August 11 started out like any other day for WSDOT's Southwest Region maintenance crew. Employees arrived at the Goldendale maintenance shed early and went out to the north side of US 97 Satus Pass to do some pavement repair work on the Satus Creek Bridge. Crews put up a portable changeable message sign (PCMS) about 1.6 miles from their flagger. Work was progressing when a semi truck with a load of bricks came up from the south. The driver, Marshall Albritton of Fiscus Motor Freight Inc., saw the PCMS and attempted to slow his truck down.
“He soon realized he couldn't (slow down),” said Goldendale Maintenance Supervisor Jay Chambers. “He down-shifted all he could, but he went past the flagger at about 30 miles per hour with the engine wound tight and his hands raised in the air to signal the flagger, who radioed the crew.”
As Albritton came around a corner, he had both feet on the brake pedal “and a big cloud of blue smoke rolling from the brakes of the tractor,” said Chambers. Spotting the workers on the bridge and oncoming traffic in the only open lane, Albritton decided to take out the guardrail at the end of the bridge as a means of stopping his rig. The truck stopped 60 feet from where workers were grinding pavement.
As the Washington State Patrol would later report, one of the air lines to the trailer Albritton was pulling (which was loaded down with 90,000 lbs. of bricks) was broken. “He didn’t even have enough air to blow the horn” to warn people and other vehicles, said Chambers.
No one was injured, thanks to advanced warning, guardrail, and Albritton’s quick thinking. “He told me he just didn’t want to hurt anyone, even if it meant injury to himself,” said Chambers. “Given the circumstances, he did an excellent job controlling (his truck). Sometimes you don’t mind fixing a little guardrail!”
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Update of projects under way
SR 169 Black Diamond - Crews working for WSDOT made quick work of a big job stabilizing a slope at the SR 169 bridge over the Green River. They completed the most difficult work of the first phase nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. They applied a spray-on concrete on the slope at the southeast end of the Kummer Bridge and installed 63 specialized soil-nails to stabilize the hillside. In late September, crews will begin the second phase of repair work. A series of drainage pipes will be installed to drain water from the landslide area. Crews will drill horizontal holes up to 300 feet into the hillside approximately 30 feet below the surface of the land south of the bridge. Installation of the drainage pipes should be completed by early November.
SR 240 Richland- WSDOT signal maintenance crews finished replacing signal lights at six different intersections on SR 240 one day ahead of schedule. Starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sep. 2, until noon Sept. 3, traffic was restricted to one lane in each direction on SR 240 in Richland. Lane restrictions were required so that maintenance crews could safely replace signal lights at the SR 240 intersections with Aaron Drive, Duportail, Swift, Van Giesen, Airport and Coast.
SR 542 Glacier - Both lanes of the new Boulder Creek bridge opened to traffic on Sept. 4. The bridge has been under construction since June 2007. The bridge spans Boulder Creek on SR 542 just east of Glacier, near Mount Baker. Crews demolished the old bridge in July, then finished paving the bridge approaches and striping the roadway at the end of August. The new Boulder Creek bridge is higher and wider than its predecessor, with a 10-foot-wide pedestrian and bicycle path that links the Bay to Baker trail. The higher bridge should also reduce flooding problems and resulting highway closures, reduce maintenance, improve fish habitat and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The new bridge was completed for less than the $7.3 million budgeted.
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Announcements
Pile driver collapses in WSDOT work zone in Burlington
No one was injured after a pile driving crane collapsed at a work site near SR 20 and I-5 in Burlington on Sept. 3. Crews working for IMCO were hammering pilings into the ground with a pile driver when the machine malfunctioned. The 100-foot crane boom used to support the pile driving hammer collapsed. Six workers were in the area, but no one was injured.
The contractor is investigating the failure. Pile driving work is suspended until the preliminary cause is determined and new equipment can be brought in. Crews were following standard operating procedures when the accident occurred. Crews were out of the way before the boom failed and fell onto the crane.
The pile driver acts like a giant hammer to pound steel pilings into the ground. The pilings will support the new southbound on- and off-ramps at the SR 20 interchange. A total of 72 pilings will be needed for the new ramps.
WSDOT counts show drop in Labor Day travel
Predictions were just about right as travel numbers show just a slight dip in most locations from Labor Day 2007. Volumes on I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, I-5 north of Seattle and south of Olympia dropped slightly from 2007. However, it was US 2 over Stevens Pass (9 percent) that saw the largest decline. One big spike upwards did come on the WSDOT Web site, with more than 75,000 users accessing the site Friday afternoon. On most days, the numbers are closer to 45,000 to 50,000.
“These users were visiting our travel pages – the Labor Day Best Times to Travel page and the Seattle Traffic page,” said Jeremy Bertrand, WSDOT Interactive Communications Manager.
The users who did visit the best times to travel page heeded the advice, with many drivers choosing to travel earlier in the morning or later in the evening.
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Gray Notebook Highlight - Worker Safety
With over 7,000 employees, safety is WSDOT's highest priority. The goal for fiscal year (FY) 2008 was to reduce OSHA-recordable injuries and illnesses to 264, 50 percent from the FY 2006 baseline of 525 injuries. FY 2008 closed with 376 total injuries and illnesses, and increase of 17 over FY 2007, but a substantial decrease of 28 percent from FY 2006. For FY 2008, 49 percent of injuries were sprains and strains (183 total). To address this, WSDOT began a six-month pilot study to determine the feasibility of a "stretch and flex" program to determine if employees who increased their strength and flexibility would help reduce the number and severity of injuries. A crew that volunteered to participate spends about 15 minutes exercising each morning. A final report will be submitted in October 2008. Details on this and other key issues can be found in the June 2008 edition of the Gray Notebook at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability.
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September open houses, meetings and events
7 - 10, Sunday through Wednesday, Public Transportation Conference & Exposition - Kennewick: WSDOT is hosting this annual conference, which is expected to draw more than 400 professionals dedicated to providing or supporting public transportation in Washington. Attendees include public transportation providers, planners and advocates as well as consulting firms, civic leaders and suppliers of public transportation related products and services. Location: Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick.
9, Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Advisory Committee meeting, SR 99 Aurora Bridge Fence - Seattle: WSDOT is designing a fence to deter people from jumping from the Aurora Bridge. WSDOT staff will host a meeting of the SR 99 Aurora Bridge Fence Advisory Committee. WSDOT formed the committee to reflect the interests of community, business and government groups during development of fence designs. Each meeting includes time for public comment. Location: Seattle Pacific University, Otto Miller Hall, Room 109, 3469 Third Avenue W., Seattle.
9, Tuesday, 4 - 7 p.m., Open House, I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East, Final EIS - Ellensburg: I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project team members will hold a series of four open houses across the state. They will present the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 15 mile corridor from Hyak to Easton on I-90. A wide range of community and environmental issues were examined. Come learn more about our findings. Location: Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Student Union Building, Ballroom, Ellensburg.
10, Wednesday, 2008 Governor's Commute Smart Awards - Kennewick: Awards ceremony to recognize Washington employers with exceptional employee transportation programs encouraging employees to reduce drive-alone commuting. Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond will present the awards at the closing luncheon of WSDOT's Public Transportation Conference and Expo. Location: Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick.
11, Thursday, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m., 520 Tolling Implementation Committee Meeting - Seattle: The 520 Tolling Implementation Committee will meet to discuss results of public input from open houses, on-line comments and local governments. The Committee will determine what additional 520 tolling scenarios should be analyzed for discussion purposes. Location: Lake Forest Park City Hall, 17425 Ballinger Way NE, Seattle.
11, Thursday, 4 - 7 p.m., Open House, I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East, Final EIS - Snoqualmie Pass: I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project team members will hold a series of four open houses across the state. They will present the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 15 mile corridor from Hyak to Easton on I-90. A wide range of community and environmental issues were examined. Come learn more about our findings. Location: Summit Lodge at Snoqualmie, 603 SR 906, Snoqualmie Pass.
11, Thursday, 4 - 7 p.m., Open House, Alaskan Way Viaduct Central Waterfront - Seattle: WSDOT, King County, City of Seattle and the Federal Highway Administration are holding a series of public scoping open houses. These meetings are an opportunity to review project information and to let us know what issues, such as noise, air quality, traffic, etc., should be considered in the central waterfront environmental document. Location: Plymouth Congregational Church, Hildebrand Hall, 1217 Sixth Ave., Seattle.
12, Friday, 9 - 10 a.m., Groundbreaking, Alaskan Way Viaduct electrical line relocation project - Seattle: WSDOT, King County and the City of Seattle will break ground for the S. Massachusetts St. to Railroad Way S. Electrical Line Relocation project. In this project crews will move power lines now attached to the viaduct to underground locations. Doing so will better protect the city's power supply in an earthquake and prepare for the take down of the southern mile of the viaduct starting in 2009. Location: Parking lot on the east side of the viaduct between S. Royal Brougham Way and S. Atlantic St.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Express Lane Archive
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