A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Photo: Boy Scouts from Troop 46 hold the ribbon as the crowd awaits the ribbon-cutting of the new SR 532 bridge.
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The new SR 532 Camano Island bridge opened to traffic at about 6:30 a.m., Aug. 13. Before that happened, crews put in one last, long night of cutting and removing pavement, shifting the road, then paving and striping to link the new bridge to SR 532. Just as the sun was rising over the new bridge, the last cars drove over the old bridge and it was permanently closed to traffic.
The bridge is part of a 10-mile SR 532 corridor that carries 20,000 vehicles a day, spans two counties and runs through the heart of Stanwood. Building the bridge was the largest piece of the SR 532 corridor project that will help improve safety, reduce choke points and preserve important transportation infrastructure along SR 532.
This new bridge has wider lanes and shoulders, is built to current earthquake standards, has a lower profile to provide better sight distance, and has improved stormwater treatment to make it more environmentally friendly.
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen led the group to officially cut the ribbon on the new bridge on Aug. 11. She took time to recognize Lenore Moa who cut the ribbon on the old bridge 50 years ago. Many nodded heads as she recounted driving over the old bridge with all its bumps. To see pictures of the bridge construction from start to finish and vintage photos of the original bridge (built in 1909), visit our Flickr page.
Remarks by local elected officials at the ceremony were followed by the unveiling of steel wildlife sculptures that will be mounted at each corner of the new bridge. Contractor Parsons-Kuney, Joint Venture funded the sculptures in coordination with a donation from two local non-profits: the Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation and the Camano Arts Association.
Even though the new bridge is open to traffic, work near the bridge is far from over. Crews will spend the next several weeks stripping overhang brackets and wood frames from the bottom of the new bridge deck and piers, and will start demolishing the old bridge. The old bridge is within feet of the new structure, which means that drivers will get a view of it slowly disappearing during the next couple of months.
The $84 million safety-improvement project on SR 532 is funded primarily by the 2005 Transportation Partnership Program (TPA) gas tax. Crews broke ground on the project in June 2009 and expect to finish this December.;
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Photo: This photo, provided by Astucia, shows a solar-powered road reflector installed in pavement. The solar-powered reflectors are roughly to scale of an oversized hockey puck.
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Washington will soon become one of the first states in the nation to test an innovative new safety tool – solar-powered road reflectors – as a way to help improve driver visibility and reduce run-off-the-road crashes. WSDOT maintenance crews will install the solar-powered reflectors as part of a test project on a two-mile stretch of SR 530 between Arlington and Darrington. London-based Astucia will provide the test solar-powered reflectors at no cost.
This test section of SR 530 has a history of run-off-the-road collisions. Depending on the results of the tests and available funding, WSDOT will consider investing in additional test areas on other roadway surfaces.
The solar-powered road reflectors contain a Light Emitting Diode (LED) which will automatically light up when it’s dark to provide ten times greater visibility for drivers than the traditional retro-reflective markers.
“We often hear from drivers who are concerned about visibility in rain and snow,” said Dave McCormick, Assistant Regional Administrator for Maintenance and Operations. “We’re excited to test this cutting-edge technology to see whether it helps improve visibility and safety for drivers. If we get good results, we will look into using the reflectors on future safety projects.”
SR 530 will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 20 and 21, between both entrances to Oso Loop Road, to install the solar-powered reflectors in the centerline of the highway. Local traffic will be allowed access while all other traffic will be detoured to Oso Loop Road. The closures are weather dependent.
WSDOT engineers will analyze the effectiveness and durability of the solar-powered reflectors as compared to traditional raised pavement markers annually for the next five years.
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SR 14 Vancouver - Crews began paving SR 14 between I-5 and SE 164th Avenue on Aug. 17. This $3.9 million project was originally planned for construction in summer 2011. However, $2.1 million in funds from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allowed WSDOT to advance construction to this summer. The project restores aging pavement and repairs ruts and potholes created by harsh weather, increased freight traffic and use of tire chains on SR 14. Drivers can expect lane and ramp closures on both directions of SR 14 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The project is scheduled for completion this fall.
SR 501 Ridgefield - The new SR 501 overpass at the I-5 interchange in Ridgefield opened to drivers on Aug. 17, as part of a larger $23 million safety and mobility project. Drivers were switched from the old overpass to the new wider and safer overpass. Moving traffic onto the new overpass gives crews room to finish construction. The new ramps are being built across the old SR 501 alignment and cannot be constructed while traffic is still on it. Demolition of the old bridge is set for early September and requires complete closures of I-5 in one direction at a time. Drivers will be detoured over the SR 501 on- and off-ramps while crews use excavators with concrete shears to crush and remove tons of steel and concrete above I-5. The I-5 – SR 501 Ridgefield Interchange project is funded through state and local funding sources and received 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds in late 2009, allowing WSDOT to begin construction earlier than anticipated. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2011 or early 2012.
SR 510 Yelm – Crews have begun paving operations on SR 510 between Mud Run and Cullens roads. This is a major milestone for the SR 510 Yelm Loop project, which is designed to reduce congestion and improve freight mobility and safety through the city of Yelm. Since the project groundbreaking on April 12, crews have been clearing, grading and adding stormwater and electrical systems to the area to make way for the new 1.5-mile roadway. Remaining work includes final paving, striping, lighting and adding compost and topsoil to the site. The project supports about 50 jobs and will include the area’s first roundabout. Making the connection between Mud Run and Cullens roads represents the first of two phases on the Yelm Loop Project. The first phase is schedule to be complete winter 2010.
SR 16 Tacoma - WSDOT and contractor, Guy F. Atkinson Construction, are building a unique bridge that will remove one of Pierce County’s worst bottlenecks. The new bridge connects northbound I-5 to westbound SR 16 and reduces the potential for collisions. The bridge improves traffic flow through Tacoma by eliminating an area where drivers are shoehorned from three lanes into one lane. The new bridge crosses I-5 at exit 133 to City Center, the on-ramp from eastbound SR 16 to northbound I-5, the southbound ramp from I-5 to 38th Street, the off-ramp from southbound I-5 to westbound SR 16, and the on-ramp from northbound I-5. Drivers can expect a visual distraction and should plan for continued nighttime closures as the project proceeds. The $184 million SR 16 Westbound Nalley Valley project started in January 2009 and is expected to be complete in 2011.
SR 542 Deming - All lanes of Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) will close beginning 7 a.m. Aug. 23, and will remain closed through Sept. 3 while WSDOT crews install a fish-friendly box culvert beneath the highway east of Deming. Drivers will detour around the closure and should expect 15- to 20-minute delays. A temporary 4-foot-diameter plastic culvert was installed in January 2009 during emergency repairs to Mount Baker Highway. A large mudslide covered the highway, plugged the existing culvert and damaged properties in the surrounding area. The temporary culvert allowed crews to reopen the road quickly until a permanent solution could be designed, built and paid for. The new permanent 10-foot by 15-foot concrete box culvert replaces the temporary culvert and is primarily funded with $800,000 in federal emergency funds.
topWSDOT installs new Hood Canal Bridge traffic cameras
WSDOT and contractor Signal Electric, Inc. of Kent began construction on Aug. 16 on a project to install cameras at nine locations on SR 3 and SR 104 approaching the Hood Canal Bridge. The online cameras will be available on WSDOT’s website in October and will provide additional real-time travel information and allow drivers to check traffic backups in the area related to Hood Canal Bridge openings.
The new cameras will be installed at the following locations:
- SR 3 south of Equestrian Drive, milepost 54.07
- SR 3 at Pioneer Hill Road NW, milepost 54.75
- SR 3 at Pioneer Way NW, milepost 56.04
- SR 3 at Big Valley Road, milepost 57.08
- SR 3, south of Sunset Way NE, milepost 57.84
- SR 3, north of Sunset Way NE, milepost 58.65
- SR 3 at South Bridge Way NE, milepost 59.84
- SR 104, north of Old Stark Road, milepost 13.13
- SR 104 at Wheeler Street, milepost 15
WSDOT seeks design-builders for SR 520 floating bridge construction
WSDOT began its search for qualified teams to build a safer, more reliable SR 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington. The new six-lane floating bridge is fully funded and scheduled to open in 2014.
Design-build teams interested in the $700 million to $900 million project are invited to submit statements of qualification to WSDOT by Sept. 30. The request for qualifications is available on the WSDOT website. WSDOT will issue a request for proposals for the project in October and allow qualified teams to submit proposals. Final proposals and bids for the project will be due in February 2011. WSDOT will choose the design-build team with the best apparent value based on their technical scores and bid price.
Design-build is a type of contract that combines project design and construction together into a single contract. A designer and contractor combine forces to submit a detailed design proposal with a fixed price.
Washington applies for additional High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail funding
To expand high-speed intercity passenger rail along the I-5 corridor, WSDOT has applied for $80 million in additional grants for the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor. Any additional grant money will allow Washington to make critical infrastructure improvements to the high-speed rail system, which will improve mobility in congested areas along the rail corridor, provide transportation options other than driving, create and preserve jobs, foster economic growth, and improve air quality across our state. WSDOT has submitted nine applications for the additional funding.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) accepted applications for $2.1 billion in grants to continue the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail corridors. In addition, the FRA will make another $245 million available for individual construction projects with a corridor. Grant awards are expected to be announced by Sept. 20, 2010.
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2 – 6, Thursday – Monday, 12 – 11 p.m., Information booth, WSDOT I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project - Ellensburg: WSDOT staff will have information on the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project and information about projects in Ellensburg and Yakima. Location: Kittitas County Fairgrounds, 512 North Poplar Street, Ellensburg.
9, Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Public meeting, Washington State Transportation Commission – Vancouver: The Washington State Transportation Commission will hold a series of listening sessions across the state to gather comments from the public on the draft 20-year Washington Transportation Plan - WTP 2030. Location: WSDOT Southwest Region Office, 11018 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver.
14, Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Public meeting, Washington State Transportation Commission – Yakima: The Washington State Transportation Commission will hold a series of listening sessions across the state to gather comments from the public on the draft 20-year Washington Transportation Plan - WTP 2030. Location: Harman Center, 101 North 65th Avenue, Yakima.
16, Thursday, 4 – 6:30 p.m., Open house, SR 500 – St. Johns Blvd. Interchange project – Vancouver: WSDOT staff will present project information and be available to answer questions at an open house for the SR 500, St. Johns Blvd. Interchange project. Location: Minnehaha Elementary School, 2800 Northeast 54th Street, Vancouver.
Express Lane Archive
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