Date:
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Contact:
Dave Chesson, WSDOT Communications, 360-661-7829 (Burlington)
Pat McCormick, Engineering Manager, 425-225-8762 (Everett)
Drivers should plan for a weekend-long closure of SR 532 in both directions August 14-17
STANWOOD – WSDOT contractor crews will begin major deck rehabilitation work on the 84th Avenue Bridge on SR 532 in Stanwood next week. The 700-foot bridge crosses over the BNSF railroad tracks and 84th Avenue between Pioneer Highway and 88th Avenue NW. Crews will work on an accelerated schedule during the next several weeks to repair or replace expansion joints and resurface the entire bridge deck.
Crews will close lanes at night during the week and one entire weekend to complete the work. Drivers can expect hour-long delays in and out of Stanwood the weekend of August 14-17.
Without the help of drivers during peak hours on Saturday and Sunday, WSDOT estimates that delays could be an hour or longer. Local residents and visitors are advised to change their normal weekend routines and shop or dine in Stanwood, or make their way to and from Camano Island, earlier in the day or later in the evening to avoid congestion on the highway and in downtown Stanwood.
“Our options came down to closing the entire bridge for a weekend or having a month or more of single-lane closures. We’ve chosen the method we believe will reduce weeks of delays for drivers while giving us a high-quality job,” said Pat McCormick, WSDOT Engineering Manager.
Closures
- Crews will close a single lane from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Aug. 10 through Aug 13 to prepare for the weekend closure.
- Crews will close all lanes of SR 532 from 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17, between Pioneer Highway and 88th Avenue NW. Flaggers and police officers will direct drivers around the closure on a detour route through Stanwood. The detour route will be signed and can be viewed it at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR532/84thAveBridgeRehab.htm
- Crews will close a single lane from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Aug. 23 through Aug 27, to wrap up miscellaneous tasks like striping and caulking.
Crews have a lot to do during the 58-hour weekend closure. They will remove a half-inch or more of the bridge deck; replace and repair worn expansion joints; and repave the deck with 5500 tons of a longer-lasting, rapid-set latex-modified concrete.
Estimated traffic delays Saturday, Aug. 15
- Westbound (toward Camano Island): Delays of 15 minutes or more begin about 10 a.m., increasing steadily by noon to 30 minutes or more, peaking at over an hour by 3 or 4 p.m. Delays and backups will continue into the early evening, but should reduce substantially by 9 or 10 p.m.
- Eastbound (toward I-5 from Stanwood): Minor congestion throughout the day. Delays should be 15 minutes or less.
Estimated traffic delays Sunday, Aug. 16
- Westbound (toward Camano Island): Delays of 15 minutes or more begin around 10 a.m., increasing steadily by noon to 30 minutes or more, peaking near 40 minutes by 3 or 4 p.m. Delays and backups will continue into the early evening, but should reduce substantially by 6 or 7 p.m.
- Eastbound (toward I-5 from Stanwood): Delays of 15 minutes or more begin about 10 a.m., increasing steadily by noon to 30 minutes or more, peaking near 50 minutes by 3 or 4 p.m. Delays and backups will continue into the early evening, but should reduce substantially by 6 or 7 p.m.
If residents and weekend travelers adjust their schedules and travel times, not only will they avoid long delays, but they will help keep traffic moving for the many guests that will visit the area and may not know about the closure.
Stay on top of the work
The 84th Avenue Bridge was built in 1960 and carries 20,000 drivers daily. It is the major link for drivers heading between Camano Island, Stanwood and the I-5 corridor. The bridge deck has been worn through in numerous locations, creating a rough surface for drivers to navigate and exposing the bridge structure below. The road surface is very rough and last winter maintenance crews had to close lanes to fill potholes.
The 2009 Legislature allocated $1.5 million for the project.
Another major project is already under way on SR 532 that will make safety improvements along the entire 10-mile corridor. That project will replace the Mark Clark Bridge, add turn lanes at selected intersections and build three truck climbing lanes at specific locations. For more information on the SR 532 corridor improvements project, please visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR532.
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