A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Project of the Week - Westbound Nalley Valley Project advances to construction
A computer-generated photo of the first project completed. |
The Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program celebrated a major achievement this week with WSDOT soliciting bids from contractors to build the I-5/SR 16: Westbound Nalley Valley project. This complex effort marks the beginning of a multi-year, three-project plan to build a new and improved Nalley Valley Viaduct. This first project will provide numerous benefits for motorists, the most notable will be eliminating the "weave" at the westbound SR 16/Sprague Avenue interchange. Currently the highest accident location in the state, motorist safety at the westbound interchange will be vastly improved as crews build dedicated ramps for the various traffic movements that take place between northbound and southbound I-5, westbound SR 16 and Sprague Avenue. The computer-enhanced photo shows the viaduct after the first project is completed. Note the dedicated ramps and the new westbound bridge structure.
The westbound project is a precursor to two other Nalley Valley projects - building a new eastbound viaduct (and demolishing the existing viaduct); and building dedicated HOV connections between I-5 and SR 16 HOV lanes. It also kicks off another wave of HOV construction projects slated for I-5 between M Street in Tacoma and the Pierce/King County Line over the next few years to expand WSDOT's core HOV system. For more information on the overall Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/piercecountyhov/.
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Maintenance and Operations Feature - Less traffic for Fourth of July weekend
Cle Elum to North Bend (Westbound)
Sunday, July 6
The Nation’s Independence Day brought many a three-day weekend, but WSDOT’s travel data shows less people took advantage of the holiday than in 2003. The actual travel data from this year’s Fourth of July weekend came back from the traffic counters and it showed a decrease from the 2003 Fourth of July weekend. Looking at gas prices, not many will be surprised to see a decrease of 11,000 vehicles (or 6.2 percent) on Snoqualmie Pass from 2003. Due to technical problems, we were unable to gather data from US 2 Stevens Pass.
Close to 160,000 vehicles traveled both directions of Snoqualmie Pass between Thursday and Sunday. When compared to 2003:
- 3,000 fewer vehicles traveled over the pass on Thursday, July 3.
- Roughly the same number traveled over the pass Friday, July 4.
- 5,000 fewer vehicles traveled over the pass Saturday, July 5.
- 2,300 fewer vehicles traveled over the pass Sunday, July 6.
On I-5 from Shoreline/north Seattle to US Canadian border, just fewer than 115,000 vehicles traveled in both directions of I-5 from Thursday through Sunday, a decrease of 3.2 percent. When compared to the same period in 2003:
- Northbound traffic increased by 190 on Thursday and by 750 on Sunday.
- Most of the reduction was southbound, particularly late Sunday afternoon, which had 2,840 less vehicles.
- 31,800 traveled Thursday, with 330 fewer vehicles traveling this year.
- 27,000 traveled Friday, with 520 fewer vehicles traveling this year.
- 28,700 traveled Saturday, with 850 fewer vehicles traveling this year.
- 27,100 traveled Sunday, with 2,100 fewer vehicles traveling this year.
On I-5, from Olympia to Chehalis (Thurston/Lewis county line), part of the data was lost due to a computer glitch. Using the data they did gather, traffic analysts estimated:
- 7,000 fewer vehicles traveled Thursday this year.
- 5,000 fewer vehicles traveled Friday this year.
- 5,000 fewer vehicles traveled Saturday this year.
- 10,000 fewer vehicles traveled Sunday this year.
WSDOT Incident Responders also noticed fewer cars on the road, with most reporting traffic moving much better than they had expected.
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Update of Projects Under Way
I-5 Kelso - A project to pave and provide safety improvements to I-5 from Castle Rock to SR 505 began on July 10. Crews will repave the roadway to build pavement depth and increase the life of the pavement, as well as provide a smoother, safer ride for motorists. Crews will also stabilize loose concrete panels underneath the existing asphalt on I-5, near Toutle Hill. Safety improvements, such as guardrail upgrades, relocating luminaries, updating permanent signs, striping and delineation to further improve this section of the corridor will also be part of this project. Construction is expected to last through the fall.
SR 169 Black Diamond - Both directions of SR 169 at the Green River Bridge near Black Diamond opened on July 3, after crews finished emergency repair work. WSDOT contractor DBM worked around the clock to stabilize a slope under the south end of the bridge. While the repair work stabilizes the road under the northbound lane, it does not solve the bigger problem of the landslide movement. WSDOT engineers are working on a plan to build a retaining wall parallel to the bridge to slow the landslide. This work could begin as early as September and must be completed by mid-November due to heavy fall rain.
US 12 Yakima - WSDOT crews and the contractor, Scarsella Brothers, are working to keep the Naches River from eroding US 12 in Yakima. The Naches River has repeatedly eroded the slopes supporting the westbound lanes of US 12 near the 16th Avenue interchange. Stabilizing the slopes to protect the highway has become an on-going, expensive maintenance concern. This project will correct chronic bank erosion problems threatening US 12 and the aquatic habitat in the Naches River north of Yakima. Crews will realign roughly 2700 feet of the Naches River channel away from US 12. Work should be completed in fall 2008.
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Announcements
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Anniversary
The one year anniversary of the opening of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge is July 16. Governor Christine Gregoire will join state and local officials to celebrate the new bridge's achievements of reduced congestion and increased safety during a brief event Wednesday, July 16 at War Memorial Park, adjacent to the bridge.
SR 520 Bridge Closure
WSDOT crews will close the SR 520 Evergreen Point floating bridge beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, July 11 for its annual inspection and maintenance work. The bridge will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, July 14. The closure extends from Montlake Boulevard to 92nd Avenue N.E. During the closure, crews will inspect the bridge’s mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems, and make sure the bridge is properly aligned. Crews will also repair potholes, clean drains, cut back vegetation, paint a catwalk and reseal electrical cover plates to prevent water from seeping into the bridge’s power system.
144-car Kaleetan returned to the San Juan Islands
Vehicle capacity was added to the San Juan Islands route when the 144-car Kaleetan replaced the 90-car Sealth on Friday, July 4, a few days earlier than previously announced. The vessel switch accommodated heavy traffic on this popular recreational route during the Fourth of July weekend, and the route is scheduled to keep a 144-car vessel and remain above normal capacity for the rest of the summer. The 188-car Walla Walla will replace the Kaleetan on the Seattle/Bremerton route.
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Gray Notebook Highlight - Moving Freight in Washington
Efficient and safe freight transportation is crucial to Washington’s economic strength. Truck volumes increased on Washington’s highways at most locations where data is collected. For example, on I-5 near Olympia, annual daily truck traffic increased three percent from 14,755 trucks per day in 2005 to 15,249 trucks per day in 2006. On I-90 near North Bend, the number of trucks per day increased 14 percent from about 5,890 trucks to 6,694 trucks daily for the same period. The number of commercial trucks registered in Washington has also increased by two percent, from 245,177 in 2006 to 250,641 in 2007. WSDOT supports Washington’s freight systems by providing planning for all freight investments and directly managing the state’s rail programs. Details on this topic can be found in the “Trucks, Goods and Freight Annual Update” of the March 2008 Gray Notebook at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability
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July open houses, meeting, and events
15, Tuesday, 5 - 8 p.m., Public hearing, Alaskan Way Viaduct - Seattle: Join FHWA and WSDOT at an Environmental Assessment (EA) public hearing about replacing the southern mile of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. The EA report details the environmental effects of the project, how it will be built and the construction schedule. Location: Madison Middle School, 3429 45th Ave SW, Seattle.
15 & 16, Tuesday & Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monthly meeting, Washington State Transportation Commission - Olympia: The Transportation Commission, an independent state agency, will hold its regular monthly meeting. Location: Transportation Building, Commission Board Room, 310 Maple Park Avenue SE, Olympia.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Express Lane Archive
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