Date:  Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Contact: Meagan McFadden, WSDOT Communications, (509) 577-1618
Paul Gonseth, WSDOT Project Engineer, (509) 577-1810

UNION GAP – The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) today awarded a contract to rebuild the I-82 Valley Mall Boulevard interchange to KLB Construction, Inc. of Mukilteo who submitted the lowest bid to construct this project.

The project will reconfigure the Valley Mall Boulevard Interchange to provide better, more direct access to and from I-82 and North Rudkin Road, and it will improve connections to the interstate for both Union Gap and Yakima. Three roundabouts are also planned to circulate traffic more quickly and safely through this congested area.

Depending on weather conditions and the contractor’s schedule, construction on the project will begin as early as March. The project will take two construction seasons to complete, with an estimated completion date of fall 2011.

“This is a crucial project for the Yakima valley that will encourage economic growth and development for the cities of Union Gap and Yakima,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary.

The 2005 gas tax package was the major source of construction funding for this $35 million investment, which includes the purchase of right of way, and project design costs. Due to revenue shortfall, construction of this improvement was delayed six years. However, the Governor and Legislature last spring selected the project to receive $30.8 million in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, providing the necessary dollars to deliver the project on its original schedule.

This project will also reconstruct the intersection of Main Street and Valley Mall Boulevard for the City of Union Gap, providing four lanes with left and right turn lanes, a bus pull-out, sidewalks, and make updates to the storm water drainage systems, street lights, and traffic signal. WSDOT will set the timing of the updated traffic signal at Main Street and Valley Mall Blvd to coordinate traffic flow with the new roundabouts.

Utility relocation work is underway in preparation for construction on the project. Utility companies are working to relocate gas, telephone, and power lines. Drivers will experience delays associated with this work on Valley Mall Boulevard, North Rudkin Road, and South Rudkin Road until the end of March.

For more information on the I-82 Valley Mall Boulevard Interchange – Rebuild Interchange project, please visit our project Web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i82/valleymall_ic/ 
 

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