A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Project of the Week - SR 539 bridge is like a life-size set of really cool Legos
Crews preassemble the new SR 539 bridge that will be used as part of the Guide Meridian widening project. |
An old adage on preparedness says: Measure twice, cut once. We’re taking that advice as we prepare to build a new steel through-truss bridge as part of the SR 539 widening project. The new bridge will carry two southbound lanes of traffic across the Nooksack River. The existing truss bridge will carry the northbound lanes.
Our crews look at this project as the mother of all erector sets – and for good reason. Think of it as a the coolest life-sized Lego set you’ve ever had: The new bridge comes in 200 pieces, is connected by 600 connecting plates and various other pieces, and secured by at least 15,000 bolts. The whole thing weighs about 685 tons. With that many parts, the last thing we want to find out during construction is that something is missing. To avoid any last-minute “oopsie” moments, we’re putting the bridge together BEFORE we put the bridge together. At a staging area near the bridge fabrication shop in Redmond, crews are painstakingly measuring and bolting together each part of the new bridge. The entire process should take about two months.
Labeling all the pieces is another benefit of the preassembly process. Can you imagine trying to build that 5,000-piece Lego castle without instructions? The preassembly allows crews to draw up a set of instructions for the bridge. Each piece of the bridge is drawn up individually and has its own drawing number. As each piece is placed, crews mark and number it based on the contract drawings. Crews will rely on these instructions during the official assembly process. We’ll begin building the bridge in mid-March. The whole process is expected to take approximately four months. You can even watch construction as it unfolds – our new River Road camera is pointed directly at the construction site and updates its picture every minute and a half.
top
Maintenance & Operations feature - WSDOT plays an important part in AMBER Alert network
WSDOT supports the AMBER Alert network by alerting motorists through its traveler information systems. |
An AMBER Alert is a child abduction emergency-notification system that uses Web-based technology to get the word out to citizens about abductions. WSDOT supports the efforts of law enforcement agencies by providing available suspect-vehicle information from the AMBER Alert to motorists via its electronic message signs, highway advisory radio, its traveler information Web page, and the 511 traveler information phone line.
The statewide AMBER Alert is activated by state law enforcement agencies, including the Washington State Patrol (WSP). When law enforcement agencies receive word of an abduction, they review the information to determine if certain criteria for an AMBER alert are met. Once the enforcement agency determines that the incident qualifies under the criteria of the Statewide AMBER Alert Plan, they activate the Emergency Alert System and the AMBER Alert Web Portal. AMBER Alerts are designed to inform the public quickly when a child has been abducted and is in danger. In this way, the public becomes the additional "eyes and ears" of law enforcement.
WSDOT's own road crews add an additional set of eyes for law enforcement. In 2004, a 15-year old girl was abducted in California, and WSP believed her kidnapper was driving on Washington highways. They issued an AMBER Alert, which included information about the suspect's vehicle, including the color, make and license plate. A WSDOT maintenance worker remembered seeing the vehicle at the Bow Hill Rest Area near Bellingham and immediately called WSP. Within minutes, WSP had the suspect in custody and the girl was safely recovered.
A committee, including law enforcement and WSDOT, reviews each AMBER Alert and looks for improvements and lessons learned. Anyone with a text-message enabled mobile phone or e-mail can register at the AMBER Alert Portal to receive AMBER Alert notifications.
top
Update of projects under way
I-5 Seattle - WSDOT contractor crews reopened all lanes of southbound I-5 through downtown Seattle ahead of schedule at 1 a.m. Monday after successfully replacing 41 broken concrete panels over the weekend of Feb. 13 through 16. I-5 was reduced to one lane of traffic between South Boeing Access Road and Corson Avenue. Overall, traffic flowed smoothly through the work zone all weekend. On average, it took drivers between 30 and 60 minutes to get through the work zone. From Feb. 20 through 23, crews will replace 36 broken concrete panels on northbound I-5 between South Graham Street and Spokane Street. Traffic will be reduced to two lanes. This $21 million project is funded by the 2003 gas tax dollars. This project puts 80 Washington union workers to work.
top
Announcements
Nighttime lane closures on I-5 in Bellingham start in March
Drivers who use I-5 north of Bellingham will want to plan some extra time into their schedules during the first weekend of March. Crews will close one lane of southbound I-5 to remove and replace bridge approach panels near the Northwest Avenue exit. This will be the first of two weekend closures. Crews will need to close the left lane the following weekend to complete the panel replacement. The work is weather dependent.
The foundation material for the bridge approach panels is breaking down, causing the panels to sink and become unstable. Crews will replace foundation material and install new panels during the weekend lane closures. The work will be similar to the work that occurred on I-5 at the Ohio Street overpass last summer. The panel replacement is the first part of a project to repair and replace cracked concrete panels and install dowel bars along a five-mile stretch of southbound I-5. This section of southbound I-5 is the original roadway constructed in the late 1950s. The concrete panels are settling and cracking and need to be repaired to improve safety for the approximately 25,000 drivers who use this stretch of I-5 daily.
Ridership on Amtrak Cascades hits all-time record in 2008
Ridership on Amtrak Cascades continued to grow substantially in 2008 carrying a total of 774,421 passengers. This represents a 14.4 percent increase over 2007 and the highest annual ridership since the inception of Amtrak Cascades service 10 years ago.
Compared to 2007, Amtrak Cascades ridership achieved double-digit growth on average each month this year. Volatile gasoline prices and the summer travel season have fueled strong demand. In July alone, ridership hit an all-time record of nearly 80,000 passengers – a 12.4 percent increase over 2007. On comment cards, customers noted the great value in saving money and avoiding traffic.
Other significant milestones achieved in 2008 include improved on-time performance, revenue growth, and the addition of connecting bus service in north Puget Sound communities. Additionally, Amtrak and WSDOT partnered to perform a major interior renovation on all coach and business class cars used on Amtrak Cascades. The $10 million project began summer 2007 and the first phase was completed in January.
A full report on Amtrak Cascades' 2008 performance is available at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Freight/publications.
top
February open houses
23, Monday, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., open house, Alaskan Way Viaduct - Ballard: WSDOT, King County and the City of Seattle will share information about the plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall. This is a chance for the public to learn more about the recommended bored-tunnel hybrid plan to replace the viaduct. The recommendation includes a deep-bored tunnel under downtown, transit investments and improvements to surface streets. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and respond to comments. Location: Adams Elementary School, 6110 28th Avenue, NW, Seattle.
24, Monday, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., open house, Alaskan Way Viaduct - West Seattle: WSDOT, King County and the City of Seattle will share information about the plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall. This is a chance for the public to learn more about the recommended bored-tunnel hybrid plan to replace the viaduct. The recommendation includes a deep-bored tunnel under downtown, transit investments and improvements to surface streets. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and respond to comments. Location: Madison Middle School, 3429 45th Avenue SW, Seattle.
Express Lane Archive
top