A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Project of the Week- US 97, Biggs Bridge closes again for final stage of construction
WSDOT will close the US 97 Biggs Bridge on Sept. 8 to complete the second phase of the concrete deck replacement project. |
The final stage of a project that will replace the
US 97, Biggs Bridge concrete deck will begin on Sept. 8, as the bridge closes again – this time, for the duration of construction. Slated to be complete in early 2009, the bridge will under go complete reconstruction of the south portion of the deck. This is the second phase of complete closures, the first of which began on Jan. 2, 2008 and concluded days before Memorial Day weekend, in time for the summer season.
In mid-August, crews began nighttime single-lane closures on the bridge in preparation for the full closure in September. The preparation work will allow WSDOT’s contractor, Mowat Construction, to begin work on the south span of the deck immediately after the full closure takes effect.
A full closure of the bridge is necessary to achieve the safest working conditions as well as the best quality construction. Since the Biggs Rapids Bridge is designed as a flexible structure, able to accommodate high winds and a wide temperature range common in the Columbia River Gorge, any vibration or movement of the deck would affect the quality of new concrete as it cures. A full closure eliminates vibration due to traffic traveling on the bridge and allows the concrete to cure with minimal disturbance. With this proactive step, WSDOT is confident the new deck will be very durable, lasting for 70 years or more.
This $16 million project is being funded evenly between Washington and Oregon and includes deck replacement as well as bridge rail upgrades. During construction, detour routes will be available. In addition, carpool match information is available at
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US97/BiggsBridge/travelerinfo 
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Maintenance & Operations feature - SR 155 Omak Bridge Pier Repair
Crews place rock to reinforce the piers and footings of the SR 155 bridge, built in 1923, in downtown Omak. |
The State Route (SR) 155 bridge in downtown Omak was closed to all traffic for two days and work to protect the bridge’s piers and footings continued all week, below the bridge deck. Last winter’s high volumes of water washed away riverbed which undermined two of the bridge pier footings. The bridge is a 410-foot long concrete arch structure built in 1923.
WSDOT's North Central Region Bridge crew replaced 760 cubic yards of washed out material with new boulders and smaller rocks called “rip rap." The deck of the bridge became a construction zone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, August 25th and 26th as crews hauled in dump truck loads of rip rap and used a heavy crane to place the boulders in the Okanogan River. Rock was placed to reinforce the footings at three other piers at the same time. In addition to the bridge crew, WSDOT maintenance crewmembers from Okanogan provided traffic control while a private contractor, Kemp West Construction of Snohomish, did the in-the-water rip rap placement.
SR 155 is a primary artery between US 97 and downtown Omak. WSDOT flaggers were standing by during the hours that the bridge was closed, to direct traffic as needed at the US 97/SR 155 intersection, about a mile and half to the east of the bridge. The timing for the $56,000 project was critical so as not to interfere with the Omak Stampede traffic (the second week in August) and still meet Washington Fish and Wildlife’s “fish window” (to have the least impact on spawning salmon) and to insure the work got done at the lowest possible water level.
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Update of projects under way
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass - Crews will resume drilling along I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass during daylight hours after Labor Day weekend until the first significant snowfall hits the pass. Drivers can expect short, intermittent delays on weekdays during off-peak travel times. WSDOT and our contractor crews are taking rock slope core samples to help move design plans forward on the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project which starts construction next year.
SR 206 Mount Spokane Park - Beginning on Sept. 8, contractors for WSDOT will begin the permanent highway repair work from last spring's washout. In addition, Mt. Spokane Park Drive is still under construction inside the state park gates. The roadway remains closed to all except residents. SR 206 up to the park entrance vicinity at milepost 15 remains open with full access to Mitcham’s Barn and Bear Creek Lodge.
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Announcements
SR 123 in Mount Rainier National Park to close for roadway and safety repairs
Beginning Sept. 2, drivers can expect a total closure of nearly eleven miles of SR 123 from Cayuse Pass to Stevens Canyon Road Monday through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for roadway repair and safety improvements. Crews working for Mount Rainier National Park will improve drainage, repave SR 123 with new hot-mix asphalt and repair, stabilize and/or replace historic rock retaining walls to withstand heavy snow. Crews will also improve signaling and circulation at the Cayuse Pass intersection. Work will be complete in mid-September.
WSDOT maintains SR 123 within park boundaries under an agreement with the park. Working with the Federal Highway Administration, Mount Rainier is responsible for planning and funding highway improvements and repairs. Updated information on this project may be obtained by calling Mount Rainier National Park at 360-569-2166.
WSDOT’s I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project team released the Final Environmental Impact Statement
WSDOT along with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have released the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project Final Environmental Impact Statement. 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.
The I-90 project 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.
144-car ferry Elwha returns to Anacortes/San Juan Islands ferry route
The 144-car ferry Elwha returned to service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands ferry route Monday morning, Aug. 25. This restores vehicle capacity on the route and releases the 90-car Sealth to go into dry-dock for scheduled maintenance. The Elwha had been out of service since Aug. 6 for electrical repairs to its propulsion control system.
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Gray Notebook highlight - Bridge Assessment Annual Update
WSDOT is responsible for managing more than 3,500 bridges and structures. Between fiscal year (FY) 2007 and FY 2008, WSDOT's bridge inventory increased from 3,559 to 3,607 total structures. Each year, WSDOT reports on the condition of its bridges to the Office of Financial Management. The condition rating is based on the structural sufficiency standards established by the Federal Highway Administration. For FY 2008, 88 percent of WSDOT's bridges are in good condition, with 9 percent in fair condition. Approximately three percent of bridges were rated as poor, a slight increase compared to FY 2007 (2.60 percent). No bridge currently rated as "poor" is unsafe for public travel. More details on this topic 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
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.
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.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Express Lane Archive
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