A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Washington Jobs Now - Stimulus funds provide sidewalks and bike lanes in Tumwater
Federal stimulus funds paid for a dedicated bike lane along this Tumwater arterial. |
Bicycling and walking along one of the city of Tumwater’s major arterials has become easier and safer, thanks to funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Capitol Boulevard between “E” Street and “M” Street in Tumwater is a four-lane divided arterial. Prior to this project, bicyclists on the northbound side of the arterial had to ride in the traffic lane and a narrow sidewalk put walkers right up against the roadway curb. Stimulus money paid for a dedicated five-foot bike lane and allowed for a relocated, nine-foot wide sidewalk that will be shaded with trees.
New, wider sidewalk and bike lane provide a connection to the Deschutes River recreation area. |
“Prior to this project, walking or biking along this stretch of roadway wasn’t a very pleasant experience for anyone,” said City of Tumwater Public Works Director Jay Eaton. “This area is planned for urban development and since there was an existing sidewalk, we would not have been able to tap a developer for these improvements. The city would need to come up with the money somewhere – without the stimulus funds this project would not have been completed anytime soon.”
The new Capitol Boulevard bike lane and sidewalk connects with the bike route on Deschutes Parkway, providing a convenient, safe access to recreation areas along the Deschutes River and Capitol Lake. These improvements also support alternative transportation modes and will help accommodate Tumwater’s planned future development.
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Maintenance & Operations feature - WSDOT reminds drivers to heed road closures
When WSDOT closes a highway, it's for good reason. This rockslide happened in November 2008 on SR 11 near Bellingham. |
Washington's winter storms can produce strong winds, torrential rain and mounds of snow; often resulting in uprooted trees, landslides, flooding, icy roads and avalanches.
When these conditions become hazardous to drivers, WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol, may close the roadway to reduce the potential for injuries or fatalities to occur. We do this to protect motorists and their passengers, as well as the highway workers and emergency responders who would be called upon to assist someone in trouble.
Highway closures, while inconvenient to travelers, are made for safety reasons. During high winds, travelers on highway sections in wooded areas can be trapped between falling trees. Water over roadways can be deceptively deep and sweep a vehicle off the road, or hide washed away sections of roadbed. Mud slides or rocks on a roadway may signal an unstable slope and potential for additional slide hazards. Heavy snow accumulations may increase the potential for avalanches on the mountain passes. Blowing and drifting snow may reduce a driver's visibility and increase the risk of running off the roadway or into someone else.
Drivers can do their part for safety by paying attention to and obeying road closure signs and barricades. Motorists who disregard signs or drive around barricades can be cited for failing to obey a traffic control device and fined $124.
Know before you go:
- Get information from our Web site at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ before you leave your home or office.
- 511 - This driver information phone line provides current traffic, incident and closure information. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388. Out-of-state callers can access the information at call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).
- Mountain pass conditions are available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/.
- At www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter, drivers can find WSDOT’s winter driving-related information, including preparing a vehicle for winter driving, safe driving tips and mountain pass travel advisories. The WSDOT winter site also offers information about chains, winter tires and how WSDOT maintenance crews work in winter weather.
- On WSDOT’s Web site, www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/weather, drivers can look at roadway temperatures and see camera images from across the state.
- At www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts, a map shows highway incidents and closures.
- Sign up for news. WSDOT offers subscribers more than 25 specialized e-mail alerts, including news and information for freight haulers, construction related traffic revisions, project updates from all around the state, and timely updates on pass conditions. Visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ and click the link for “E-mail updates.”
- Twitter users can add WSDOT to their personal accounts at: http://twitter.com/wsdot/. Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform/twitter for more details.
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Update of projects under way
I-5 Chehalis - Lakeside Industries, Inc., wrapped up work on the stimulus-funded I-5 paving project in Lewis County. Crews paved nearly eight miles of interstate, enhancing motorist safety and drivability by providing a smoother road surface. The I-5, Koontz Road to Harrison Avenue paving project received $3.58 million in stimulus funds that WSDOT added to an existing $5 million paving project. The stimulus funds allowed WSDOT to expand the scope of the project by five miles and construct it earlier than anticipated. In late spring 2010, contractor crews will return to install new expansion joints on I-5 at the Northern Pacific Railroad bridge (mile post 77.14) and the Dillenbaugh Creek Bridge (mile post 77.84). Crews will also perform grinding work to level out some areas of uneven pavement on I-5.
US 12 Naches - Crews on Nov. 19 used a nighttime highway closure to blast a rock outcropping adjacent to US 12, 15 miles west of Naches. The work was done from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. to have minimal traffic impacts. The overnight closure for blasting activities, although inconvenient for travelers, allows crews to safely bring down the rock and clear it from the highway. Work is part of a project that will replace two structurally deficient bridges across the Tieton River with two wider and longer bridges. The project will construct two new bridges with wider lanes and shoulders approximately ten miles west of the US 12 / SR 410 junction. Both existing bridges are 24-feet wide and structurally deficient.
SR 410 Yakima - WSDOT crews this week shifted traffic onto a new SR 410 detour road, and Yakima County engineers diverted the Naches River into a new river channel around the Nile Valley landslide that occurred on Oct. 11, 2009. This work is part of the recovery and restoration of the SR 410 transportation corridor and Naches River.
The new 4,000-foot-long SR 410 detour alignment moves the roadway away from the river channel and landslide, following the western edge of the Nile Valley. Yakima County breached a temporary detour route in two places to divert the river away from the base of the landslide. This minimizes landslide erosion risks; a proactive measure to combat eventual increases in river flows. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) coordinated a stranded fish removal effort in collaboration fish biologists from nine other agencies and groups. The fish removal teams used several techniques to safely catch fish stranded in the old river channel and release them back into unobstructed waters.
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Announcements
WSDOT Ferries Division advises travelers to plan ahead for Thanksgiving holiday travel
WSDOT's Ferries Division reminds travelers to allow extra time for ferry travel over the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend and to be aware of schedule changes on some routes. On Wednesday, Nov. 25, there will be an extra sailing from Anacortes to Friday Harbor at 7:50 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day four routes will be on a holiday schedule; all other routes will operate on a regular Thursday schedule. Holiday schedule details are published in the fall schedule which is available at terminals, on vessels, and on the WSF Web site. WSF will operate the following service on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26:
- Anacortes/San Juan Islands: regular weekday schedule
- Anacortes/Sidney, B.C.: regular weekday schedule
- Edmonds/Kingston: holiday (Saturday) schedule
- Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: regular weekday schedule
- Mukilteo/Clinton: holiday (Saturday) schedule
- Point Defiance/Tahlequah: holiday (weekend) schedule
- Port Townsend/Keystone: regular weekday schedule (Reservations are strongly recommended. Visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries or call 5-1-1 to make a reservation.)
- Seattle/Bainbridge Island: holiday (Saturday) schedule
- Seattle/Bremerton: regular weekday schedule
All ferry routes will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Friday, Nov. 27. Travelers should expect longer lines throughout the holiday weekend and are encouraged to arrive early. The longest backups are expected to occur westbound on Wednesday afternoon and evening, Nov. 25, and eastbound on Friday morning, Nov. 27.
Amtrak Cascades prepares for busy Thanksgiving travel week: Ten more trains added between Portland and Seattle
Anticipating the busiest travel week of the year, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Amtrak are planning ahead for the upcoming holiday by adding more Amtrak Cascades trains during the week of Thanksgiving. To accommodate more passengers traveling during this holiday week, 10 trains will be added to the Amtrak Cascades route between Portland and Seattle.
The week of Thanksgiving – Tuesday, Nov. 24 to Monday, Nov. 30 – is typically Amtrak’s busiest travel period of the year, carrying more than 660,000 passengers last year nationwide. In 2008, Amtrak Cascades carried 16,241 riders over the Thanksgiving weekend. The ridership over the five day period contributed more than 27 percent of the total riders for the month of November.
All Amtrak Cascades require reservations, and passengers are encouraged to purchase tickets early to obtain lowest fares. Visit http://www.amtrakcascades.com/, or call 800-USA-RAIL for reservations and information.
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Open houses, meetings and events
November
24, Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Town hall meeting, SR 520 Legislative Workgroup - Seattle: Members of the SR 520 Legislative Workgroup will host a town hall meeting to review their draft recommendations with the public. The final report is due to the Legislature and Gov. Gregoire by Jan. 1, 2010. Location: University of Washington, Center for Urban Horticulture, Seattle.
December
2, Wednesday, Alaskan Way Viaduct - North Portal Working Group meeting - Seattle: The state, county and city departments of transportation established three working groups in April 2009 to help inform the design and environmental review process for the new SR 99 bored tunnel. The north portal working group will discuss access into and around the north entrance to the bored tunnel, urban design features and construction plans. This group will also discuss city street improvements, including aspects of the two-way Mercer Street project. Location: Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle.
2, Wednesday, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Open house and environmental assessment, I-5 Reconstruct Interchange at NE 134th (Salmon Creek Interchange) - Vancouver: WSDOT and Clark County will host an open house to provide information about the purpose and need of the project and take public comments on the project's environmental assessment. The Salmon Creek Interchange Project will reduce traffic congestion and improve safety in the fast growing Salmon Creek area by constructing a new I-5 interchange at NE 139th Street, improving the I-205 northbound off-ramp to NE 134th Street, and constructing other local road improvements. Location: 1800 NW Bliss Road, Vancouver.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Express Lane Archive
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