A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Project of the Week - WSDOT finishes new roundabout in Walla Walla; work continues to four-lane US 12
This aerial photo shows the Myra Road and Pine Street roundabout in Walla Walla and construction of the new US 12 Pine Street interchange. |
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is one step closer to four-laning US 12 from the Tri-Cities to Walla Walla and bringing one of the first roundabouts to Walla Walla. In December 2008, WSDOT and the contractor partially opened the new roundabout at Myra Road and Pine Street. Three out of the four legs of the roundabout are now fully functional: the Myra Road, Pine Street, and US 12 legs. WSDOT will fully open the roundabout to traffic in the fall of 2009.
Drivers need to remember a few important rules when driving through a roundabout:
- Slow down inside of the roundabout.
- Choose your lane before entering the roundabout.
- Yield to vehicles in both lanes of the roundabout.
- Drivers in the roundabout have the right of way.
- Once inside the roundabout, keep moving, DON’T STOP.
- Do NOT change lanes inside the roundabout.
- Large trucks are permitted to use both lanes of the roundabout when needed.
- Do not drive next to or pass a truck.
- Exit the roundabout before pulling over for emergency vehicles.
- Be aware of pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Use your turning signal when exiting the roundabout.
To date, the contractor has hauled over 142,000 dump-truck loads of material to build the new highway. This winter crews are working to build the new Pine Street Interchange and the US 12 overpass, which will improve safety, decrease delays and encourage economic development.
Once this eight mile stretch of four-lane divided highway is complete in fall 2009, drivers will experience less congestion and see an enhancement in safety. The project will limit cross-traffic by reducing the number of intersections and private driveways, and provide new, safer intersections at Vintage Loop Road, Frenchtown Road, Spaulding Road, and Sudbury Road.
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Maintenance & Operations feature - The who, what, when, where, why and how of avalanche control
Avalanche crews get ready to set explosive to bring down a controlled avalanche along I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass. |
In the last several weeks Snoqualmie Pass received close to seven feet of snow, requiring WSDOT to close the pass for avalanche control work in order to keep drivers safe. As a result we've heard from a number of drivers, asking the reasons, for the closures, and telling us how closing the pass affects their travel and their business.
WSDOT is committed to maintaining safe, efficient, and reliable transportation systems. That commitment reaches beyond our highways to steep and often avalanche-prone mountain slopes that threaten the highways and the safety of travelers. In order to reduce the danger of avalanches on our highways, WSDOT established the Avalanche Forecasting and Control Program.
Avalanche control occurs in two primary locations: US 2 Stevens Pass and I-90 Snoqualmie Pass. Both of these passes are maintained throughout the winter months and avalanche control is part of that routine maintenance. Avalanche control can be necessary anytime from late November through June depending upon the amount of snowfall, temperature, wind speed, and existing conditions. WSDOT avalanche crews try to plan avalanche control during times when the fewest travelers are on the road. This is not always possible as safety takes priority over convenience.
One of the main areas where avalanche control occurs is on the east side of Snoqualmie Pass at the snowshed. Currently the snowshed only covers the westbound lanes of I-90 so when the avalanche comes down – the snow piles up in the eastbound lanes. Our maintenance crews then spend anywhere between 20 minutes to several hours cleaning up the roadway. WSDOT will replace the existing snowshed with a structure that is twice as long and will cover both the eastbound and westbound lanes as part of the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project. Once the new snowshed is built, WSDOT will reduce closures related to avalanche control by 70 percent along Lake Keechelus.
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Update of projects under way
SR 202 Fall City - WSDOT reopened a flood-damaged section of SR 202 just east of Fall City on Jan 16. Crews replaced a 120-foot long, 30-foot wide, and eight-foot deep section of roadway that washed away when the Snoqualmie River flooded on Jan. 7. WSDOT hired contractor KLB Construction under an emergency contract to make speedy repairs and rebuild the roadway with 3,000 cubic yards of material. The cost for the emergency work is approximately $350,000 and will likely be eligible for federal emergency funding.
SR 433 Longview – Crews narrowed the lanes on the Lewis & Clark Bridge between Longview, WA and Rainier, OR during the daytime on Jan. 17 and 18. The lane reductions were necessary to allow crews to hang bird netting in preparation for painting the bridge this spring. The bird netting is a preemptive measure to prevent birds from nesting on the bridge, and keep painting crews from disturbing their habitat while they are nesting and raising their young.
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Announcements
US 97 Blewett Pass reopened on Friday, Jan. 16
WSDOT reopened Blewett pass on Friday, Jan. 16. US 97 between I-90 and US 2 has been closed since a mudslide blocked both lanes near the summit on Jan. 7. As the rain and snow continued, shoulders and lanes were washed out at three other locations. WSDOT Maintenance and contractor crews have been working around the clock to clear and repair the highway.
“These repairs are temporary,” said Acting Assistant Region Administrator Dan Sarles, “We are committed to reopening the pass as soon as possible, but drivers should expect shoulder closures and speed restrictions. It’s going to be next spring before permanent repairs of all the damage can be completed. When we open, it will be for two-way, unrestricted travel.”
The repairs are being paid for under an emergency maintenance contract. The costs are not yet determined, but are expected to be reimbursed under the Federal Emergency declaration for the December and January storms.
Landslide closes SR 112 for several weeks
SR 112 remains closed to traffic following a massive landslide on Jan. 8 west of Joyce in Clallam County. The earth beneath the roadway continues to move, posing major safety concerns for crews.
“It could be several weeks before it’s safe for crews to get in there and assess the full extent of the damage,” said WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator Kevin Dayton. “Landslides are a common problem along this coastal highway during winter months,” Dayton said. “However, the magnitude of this slide is much more significant than in recent years.”
A 500-foot section of roadway is severely damaged. WSDOT is closely monitoring the slide, which continues to move downhill and further destabilize the slope beneath the roadway. Crews closed the mile-long stretch of SR 112 at West Twin Rivers, milepost 37. The slide buckled pavement and caused the road to sink up to eight feet in certain areas. A detour route is available.
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Gray Notebook Highlight - Travel time reliability
A drop in collisions, including fatality and serious injury collisions, is likely improving travel time reliability on Washington highways. For the first half of 2008, fatal and serious injury collisions declined by 5.1 percent to 9.1 percent statewide compared to the same period in 2005, 2006 and 2007. There were 1,010 fewer fatality and serious injury collisions compared to 2007. In King County, fatality and serious injury collisions declined by 8.6 percent to 15.2 percent compared to 2005, 2006 and 2007. One of the reason travel times improved was the reduction of non-recurrent delay such as incidents, weather and other events that can affect commute times from day to day. More details on this topic can be found in our special report on congestion in the September 2008 Gray Notebook: www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability.
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January open houses, meetings and events
21, Wednesday, 4 - 7 p.m., Open house, SR 161 - 36th to Jovita - Edgewood: WSDOT's project team will hold an open house to provide information and answer questions about the widening project. Project displays will provide detail about proposed pedestrian improvements and stormwater management facilities. Location: Edgemont Junior High, 2300 110th Avenue E., Edgewood.
21, Wednesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Public Hearing, Ferries Long-range plan - Seattle: WSDOT's Ferries Division will hold a series of public hearings around Puget Sound to get comments on the draft long-range plan for services and investments through 2030. Public comments received will help inform the final plan scheduled to be released on Jan. 30, 2009. Location: Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California
Express Lane Archive
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