Date:
Monday, July 30, 2007
Contact:
Travis Phelps, WSDOT Communications, 206.440.4470 (Seattle)
Russ East, Asst. Regional Administrator, 206.440.4695 (Seattle)
MARYSVILLE – Starting this morning, crews will begin taking measurements in the median of Interstate 5, one of the first steps toward replacing 10 miles of cable median barrier adjacent to the northbound lanes with concrete barrier. The cable median barrier adjacent to the southbound lanes will remain in place.
Engineers have allocated $500,000 from WSDOT’s annual safety budget to get a jump start on designs for this concrete barrier project. They will use the data from these measurements to design a new drainage system and develop a more detailed cost estimate for this project.
“This survey work will give us the lay of the land,” said Assistant Regional Administrator Russ East. “In order to install the concrete barrier on this stretch of I-5, crews must first widen the shoulders of I-5 and install a new stormwater drainage system. These measurements will give our engineers the information they need to begin designing this project and to help develop a more accurate cost estimate.”
Stormwater drainage systems are a critical component of concrete barrier projects because the barriers can act as a dam, causing water to pool on the roadway and increase the risk of hydroplaning for drivers. Additionally, current environmental laws require filtering stormwater runoff from roadways to help protect waterways from pollutants.
“Once our engineers have analyzed the survey data, we will know if we need to purchase additional land to house our storm-water drainage and treatment systems,” East said. “We will also know if this work will affect nearby wetlands and require us to apply for additional environmental permits.”
The stormwater drainage and environmental needs of each project are unique and can heavily influence a project’s cost and schedule.
“We wanted to get a head start because applying for permits and purchasing land can be very expensive and time consuming,” said East. “We are still cautiously optimistic that we can build this project for $27 million, and if we obtain funding, begin construction as early as 2009.”
In July, WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol released a report requested by Gov. Chris Gregoire detailing the effectiveness of cable median barrier across Washington state and on I-5 in Marysville in particular.
Analysis by independent expert Malcolm Ray revealed a unique crash history in Marysville. Ray recommended installation of concrete barrier on the northbound inside shoulder on I-5 through Marysville while leaving the existing cable median barrier adjacent to the southbound lanes.
The report can be found on WSDOT’s Web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/cablebarrier/report2007
Information about WSDOT’s new cable median barrier installations can be found at www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/cablebarrier.
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