A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Washington Jobs Now - WSDOT to smooth the I-5 drive in Cowlitz County
Workers will replace and repair cracked and broken concrete panels this summer on I-5 between Kelso and Castle Rock. |
This summer, crews will replace and repair approximately 180 damaged concrete panels in both directions of I-5, as well as repave the northbound lanes of I-5 between the Kelso and Castle Rock vicinities. The three-month project is expected to support more than 100 jobs.
WSDOT combined an existing paving project with another paving project funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Granite Northwest, Inc. of Camas submitted the project's winning bid of $9.9 million, which was more than 14 percent below the engineer’s estimate of $11.6 million.
Restoring this section of I-5 will preserve the road surface, reduce maintenance costs, and improve safety and mobility for all drivers. Construction is expected to begin in July and be complete by October.
I-5 is the only continuous north-south freeway on the West Coast, and a vital economic transportation link for freight traffic and commuters alike. This section of I-5 in Cowlitz County carries an average of 50,000 vehicles per day, 23 percent of which are trucks.
Here is how Washington is delivering on the 2009 ARRA (as of May 27):
| Projects |
Total |
Governor
Certified |
Advertised |
Contract Awarded/
Under Construction |
| State |
34 |
34 |
26 |
15 |
| Local |
147 |
147 |
37 |
10 |
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Maintenance & Operations feature -Chinook Pass opens in time for Memorial Day weekend travelers
WSDOT maintenance crews clear snow from SR 410 Chinook Pass, reopening the highway in time for holiday travelers. |
WSDOT maintenance and avalanche crews worked hard to reduce avalanche danger and remove the snow to make Chinook Pass safe for travel by Memorial Day Weekend. Instead of a steady melt-down of the snow pack in the late spring, the snow kept piling up (over six feet of new snow in May). The snow finally stopped on May 20.
“The final two avalanches were cleared and the threat of any more snow sliding down to the roadway was minimal by Friday, May 22, at noon,” said John Stimberis WSDOT Avalanche Forecaster.
Chinook Pass is one of the state's highest mountain passes (elevation 5,430 ft). Chinook Pass was closed for the season on December 15, 2008, from the intersection of SR 123 and SR 410 (three miles west of the summit), to Morse Creek (5.5 miles east of the summit). A five-mile stretch just east of the summit is located along the steep slope of an avalanche area, which makes it too dangerous to keep open during the snowy winter months.
The earliest Chinook Pass opening was April 5, 1973. The latest opening was July 12, 1974. For historic pass closure dates visit: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter/passdates.htm.
Chinook Pass is designated a National Scenic Byway, an All American Road, and an entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. Commercial vehicles are prohibited at all times within the national park.
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Update of projects under way
I-5 Chehalis - WSDOT is delivering the first of five I-5 improvement projects in Lewis County ahead of schedule. The I-5, Rush Road to 13th Street Widening and Interchange project provides direct access from the Port of Chehalis to I-5. The project improves safety and reduces congestion at LaBree Road by moving truck traffic from the local roadways back onto the interstate, which will help reduce conflicts between pedestrians, passenger vehicles and freight traffic. Construction on this project began in July 2007 and will be functionally complete in late May 2009, a full season ahead of schedule. During its peak in construction, this $52 million project is estimated to have supported 235 direct and indirect jobs.
I-5 Burlington - Crews opened a new, elevated southbound off-ramp at the Interstate 5/State Route 20 interchange on May 26. Opening the ramp is a major milestone for crews working to improve a five-mile stretch of SR 20 between Memorial Highway and I-5. Southbound I-5 drivers exiting the freeway on the new ramp will now have a direct connection with SR 20 at the new Garrett Road intersection. Crews will remove the temporary off-ramp near Goldenrod Road and then finish building the new southbound I-5 on-ramp. Drivers will also be able to access the new on-ramp directly from SR 20. The new off- and on-ramps are part of a $118 million project that has supported an estimated 450 jobs since it began in 2007.
SR 16 Tacoma - Crews rebuilding the SR 16 Nalley Valley Viaduct will close the ramp from Sprague Avenue to westbound SR 16 on June 1. This is the third of four long-term closures of ramps that connect Sprague Avenue to SR 16. Two ramps were demolished earlier this year, and the fourth ramp – westbound SR 16 to Sprague Avenue – is slated to close in the fall. The ramps are in the way of the new bridges and Sprague Avenue connections under construction on the I-5/SR 16 Westbound Nalley Valley project. The new westbound bridges and Sprague Avenue ramps eliminate one of Pierce County’s worst bottlenecks and reduce collisions by an estimated 60 percent, or 16 fewer per year. This project is funded by the 2003 Nickel transportation package, employs about 200 construction workers and supports an estimated 620 jobs.
Announcements
New signs remind drivers to stay safe on US 2
A new sign on US 2 near Monroe reminds motorists to drive safely on this corridor. |
WSDOT unveiled a new electronic sign May 27 on US 2 just outside of Monroe. The sign, which is part of the US 2 Traffic Safety Corridor project, will provide drivers with a real-time reminder of the importance of driving safely on the corridor.
“The sign tracks the number of days since a serious crash on the highway,” said Lowell Porter, director of Washington Traffic Safety Commission. “We have installed similar signs on other safety corridors and we’ve heard positive feedback from the communities. People pay attention and notice the sign, especially when it goes back to zero.”
The signs feature an electronic display that automatically counts the number of days since a serious collision. If a fatal or serious injury collision occurs, troopers from the Washington State Patrol will reset the sign to zero.
Washington remains the nation’s “Most Bicycling Friendly State”
Washington has been rated by the League of American Bicyclists as the nation’s number one “Bicycle Friendly State” for the second year in a row. Washington’s strong commitment to bicycling through its policies, programs and facilities has again earned the state national recognition for its bicycle-friendly communities.
In 2008, Washington was named the first recipient of this now annual ranking of all 50 states. The Bicycle Friendly State Program is a recognition program that ranks a state’s bike-friendliness and recognizes states that actively support bicycling as a way of addressing climate change, traffic congestion, obesity and high fuel prices. States are rated based on their support of bicycling through legislation, policies and programs, education, places to ride, and planning. Washington scored consistently high in all ranking evaluation categories.
States that apply for a Bicycle Friendly State award designation can receive national recognition and promotion of their efforts as well as feedback, technical assistance, training from national experts to improve their bicycle legislation, projects and programs.
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June open houses, meetings and events
1, Monday, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Public meeting, Washington State Ferries - Bremerton: WSDOT's Ferries Division (WSF) will hold a series of public meetings to provide information about what happened during the legislative session and to talk about plans for the year ahead at WSF. Location: Kitsap Conference Center Harborside, 100 Washington Avenue, Bremerton.
2, Tuesday, 9 - 10 a.m., Ribbon cutting, I-5 Rush Road to 13th Street - Chehalis: WSDOT and its contractor Scarsella Brothers, Inc., along with state and local officials, will mark the completion of the I-5 Rush Road to 13th Street project with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Attendees will be able to tour the new LaBree Road Interchange prior to its opening to traffic. Location: West end of the LaBree interchange, next to I-5, in Chehalis.
2, Tuesday, 7 - 10 a.m., Hydrogen Road Tour, University of Washington - Bothell: WSDOT’s Public/Private Partnerships Office will be on hand to provide information on the agency’s Alternative Fuels Corridor Pilot Project as part of the Washington Green Highways initiative. The Bothell stop for the Hydrogen Road Tour is one of three scheduled in the greater Seattle area. It is the only area stop where the public can test drive fuel cell vehicles. Location: University of Washington Bothell Campus, 18115 Campus Way NE, Bothell.
2, Tuesday, 4 - 6 p.m., Central Waterfront Working Group, Alaskan Way Viaduct - Seattle: The Central Waterfront working group, representing neighborhoods, business and freight interests, will meet with city, county and state departments of transportation regarding plans for the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct project. The group will discuss the configuration of the new waterfront surface street, including connection to Elliott and Western avenues, waterfront traffic operations, the seawall replacement and the new waterfront promenade. Location: Labor Temple, Hall 1, 2800 First Avenue, Seattle.
2, Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Public meeting, Washington State Ferries - Whidbey Island: WSDOT's Ferries Division (WSF) will hold a series of public meetings to provide information about what happened during the legislative session and to talk about plans for the year ahead at WSF. Location: Clinton Community Hall, 6411 Central Avenue, Clinton.
3, Wednesday, 4 - 6 p.m., South Portal Working Group, Alaskan Way Viaduct - Seattle: The South Portal working group, representing neighborhoods, business and freight interests, will meet with city, county and state departments of transportation regarding plans for the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct project. The group will discuss access into and around the south entrance to the bored tunnel, urban design features and construction plans. Location: Sound Transit Board Room, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle.
3, Wednesday, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Open house, SR 500 St. Johns Interchange - Vancouver: WSDOT's project team is holding an open house to share information about plans for the SR 500, St. Johns Interchange. A new interchange will be build at the signalized intersection of SR 500 and St. Johns Boulevard to reduce collisions at this location. Displays of the project plans will be available for viewing and team members will be available to answer questions. Location: Washington Elementary School, 2908 S. Street, Vancouver.
3, Wednesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Public meeting, Washington State Ferries - Vashon Island: WSDOT's Ferries Division (WSF) will hold a series of public meetings to provide information about what happened during the legislative session and to talk about plans for the year ahead at WSF. Location: McMurray Middle School, Multi-purpose room, 9329 SW Cemetery Road, Vashon Island.
4, Thursday, 4 - 6 p.m., North Portal Working Group, Alaskan Way Viaduct - Seattle: The North Portal working group, representing neighborhoods, business and freight interests, will meet with city, county and state departments of transportation regarding plans for the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct project. The group will discuss access into and around the north entrance to the bored tunnel, urban design features and construction plans. The group will also discuss city street improvements, including aspects of the two-way Mercer Street project. Location: Labor Temple, Hall 8, 2800 First Avenue, Seattle.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Express Lane Archive
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