Date:
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Contact:
Jeff Adamson, North Central Region Communications Manager, Wenatchee, (509) 667-2815, (509) 669-8778 Cell. E-mail: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov
Bob Romine, Project Engineer, Wenatchee, (509) 667-2880, E-mail: rominer@wsdot.wa.gov
For more information, visit the project web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/NorthCentral/projects/SR28RockIslandSlopeStabilization/
WENATCHEE – Despite snow on Saturday and Sunday, the crewmembers of Janod Inc. of Quebec were able to successfully scale the unstable basalt rock from the face of the slope above SR 28 allowing the roadway to reopen at 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. The closure, which was expected to last through 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, was necessary for the third phase of this $8.5 million rock slope stabilization project begun in 2002. “We are extremely grateful for the flexibility and understanding of everyone affected by the closure,” said Project Engineer Bob Romine. By finishing this phase of the work early, Janod earns a $90,000 incentive bonus. Had the contractor failed to reopen the road by Wednesday morning, $10,000 per hour penalties would have been imposed.
Later this month, motorists will encounter delays and single lane alternating traffic on SR 28 for a few days as rock bolts are installed to further stabilize one portion of the slope. In August, crews will return to install steel nets over the western-most part of the slope. Traffic disruptions during that phase will be minimal.
The 92 hour closure began on Friday, March 28th at 9 p.m. WSDOT utilized an extensive notification system to help drivers plan ahead, including newspaper and radio advertisements, roadside electronic message signs and highway advisory radios as well as news releases, web page and 5-1-1 telephone messages.
During the closure, motorists used alternative routes through Waterville and Ephrata or Blewett Pass and I-90 that added 90 minutes or more to their trip. “With an average of more than 6,000 vehicles a day usually traveling past Rock Island Dam, we felt the outreach worked better than we could have expected,” said Romine, “People responded and changed their plans. Over the four days, only about 100 vehicles showed up at the barricades unaware of the closure and only two drivers were cited for trying to drive through the work zone.”
In 2002, the first phase of the slope stabilization project blasted rock from the eastern-most portion of the 300-foot slope and cost $2.4 million. The second phase, in 2004, cost $2 million and constructed a large concrete wall to hold rock in place above the western-most section where phase three is taking place. In December, this third phase of the project was awarded to Janod Inc. for $2.4 million, 25% under the engineering estimate.
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