Date:
Friday, May 19, 2006
Contact:
Jeff Adamson, North Central Region Communications Manager, Wenatchee, (509) 667-2815, (509) 669-8778 Cell. E-mail: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov
(WENATCHEE) Wenatchee’s second night time paving project in two years gets underway Monday evening. Wenatchee Avenue runs the full length of the city and is a busy commercial district from end to end. Paving presents a huge challenge to businesses, shoppers, commuters, visitors and truckers. The Wenatchee Avenue project became the first night time paver in North Central Region when stage one was completed last summer and stage two is following suit with all work scheduled between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Sunday nights to Friday mornings. The project begins Tuesday night, May 23rd and will be complete by September. The work was to begin on Monday night, but was postponed due to a dramatic rain and wind event. The timing of the project was a critical concern to the community and work was scheduled to start after the “Ridge to River Relay” and the “Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Grand Parade”.
Motorists can expect single lane closures around the work zones on North Wenatchee Avenue and on the Odabashian Bridge. During the first week, Basin Paving Co. crews will lower utility covers and begin installing intersection ADA sidewalk ramps on North Wenatchee Avenue and will be replacing expansion joints on the Odabashian Bridge.
This Roadway Preservation project repaves 3.4 miles on two highways in the north Wenatchee vicinity. Paving and other improvements to the US 2/97 Odabashian Bridge across the Columbia River on the north end of town was included into the SR 285 Project, saving both money and time. Besides improving the ride and load carrying capacity of both roadways, the project delivers significant safety upgrades. On North Wenatchee Avenue from Maple to Olds Station, sidewalk intersection ramps will be rebuilt to new American's with Disabilities Act standards, adding "truncated dome" pads to assist sight impaired pedestrians. On US 2/97, new expansion joints on the bridge will reduce future maintenance and more visible striping and the addition of 2000 feet of precast concrete barrier will prevent crossover accidents and improve safety overall.
This project was advertised for bids on December 5th, 2005. Two qualified bids were opened January 12th, 2006. On January 17th, Basin Paving Company was awarded contract # 7074 for $1,859,926.98, 5% over the engineering estimate. Total funding for the project is $2.25 million from pre-existing gas tax funds.
Project web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/NorthCentral/projects/SR285/NWenatcheePaving/
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