Date:  Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Contact: Mike Westbay, Communication Manager, 509-577-1617 (Yakima)

Jeff Minnick, Project Engineer, 509-577-1705 (Yakima)

WSDOT advertises multiple contracts for statewide stimulus-funded safety projects



OLYMPIA – WSDOT advertised a series of contracts this week worth up to $12 million to improve safety on 32 highways across Washington. Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington state Legislature targeted federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds for the installation of centerline rumble strips on more than 650 miles of highway and the retrofit of more than 29 miles of cable median barrier.

These projects will help support approximately 120 jobs this year.

Centerline rumble strips are a proven low-cost method of dramatically reducing crossover collisions by alerting inattentive drivers that they are crossing into oncoming traffic. For more details and maps of the rumble strip projects, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/rumblestrips/.

Cable median barrier helps prevent cars from crossing the median and potentially causing deadly head-on collisions. For more details and maps of the cable barrier projects, visit
www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/cablebarrierretrofit/.

WSDOT expects to award all six contracts to the approved bidders by the end of July and start construction in August. These projects are expected to be complete in December, 2009.

Washington state is administering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Gov. Gregoire created a Web site, www.recovery.wa.gov/, so every Washingtonian can see where tax dollars are going and hold government accountable for the results. On the federal level, President Obama has appointed Vice President Biden to oversee all states’ recovery efforts and to root out waste and fraud. This combined oversight will ensure taxpayer dollars are put to good use and recharge the economy.

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WSDOT's mission is to keep people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/  for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 511.

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