Date:
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Contact:
Archie Allen, WSDOT Bridge Superintendent, (425) 739-3700 (Bellevue)
Doug Haight, WSDOT Project Engineer, (425) 649-4429 (Bellevue)
Myly Posse, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4700 (Seattle)
SEATTLE - After reviewing the weather forecast, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) engineers and Wilder Construction crews confirmed that they will close the SR 520 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge this weekend for annual maintenance and inspections in addition to placing a test section of quieter pavement east of the bridge.
Crews will close SR 520 from Montlake Boulevard E to 108th Avenue NE around the clock beginning at 11 p.m. on Friday, July 13, until 5 a.m. Monday, July 16.
Westbound drivers traveling to Medina, Hunts Point, Clyde Hill, and Yarrow Point will be able to exit at 108th Avenue NE.
"Successful placement of quieter pavement requires dry weather," said SR 520 Quieter Pavement Project Engineer Doug Haight. "We've been hoping this warm, dry stretch would hold out long enough for us to coordinate our paving work with the annual maintenance and inspection closure of the SR 520 bridge. This is the best schedule possible to minimize disruptions for drivers."
Wilder Construction crews will install a 1.6 mile test section of quieter pavement on SR 520 from the east end of Medina to just west of Bellevue Way NE. WSDOT Bridge crews will perform annual inspections and maintenance activities on the bridge deck during the closure.
Drivers should plan ahead and expect congestion on alternate routes like I-90, I-405 and SR 522 this weekend. The Seafair triathlon will close the I-90 Express lanes on Sunday from 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. WSDOT recommends drivers know before they go. Drivers can call the 511 driver information line or check traffic flow maps at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle.
Since the early 90s WSDOT has been performing annual summer maintenance on the aging SR 520 bridge. The SR 520 bridges and structures are vulnerable to earthquakes and windstorms, and need to be replaced. The new SR 520 will keep drivers safer, improve reliability for people crossing the lake, provide a new lane for transit and high occupancy vehicles, and support future high capacity transit on the pontoons.
For more information about the SR 520 Bridge Replacement project, visit the project Web site at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/SR520Bridge.
For more information about the SR 520 Quieter Pavement project, please visit:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520/EastsideQuiet/
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