Date:  Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Contact:

Joe Irwin , WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2703, 360-507-6521 (cell)
Jeff Switzer , WSDOT Communications, 206-770-3547, 206-819-7230 (cell)

ABERDEEN – The countdown to construction is under way in Grays Harbor and a Jan. 19 open house gives the community a chance to learn more about upcoming work to build concrete pontoons for a replacement State Route 520 floating bridge.

At the event, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and its contractor, Kiewit-General Joint Venture (K-G), will share information about the $367 million SR 520 Pontoon Construction Project, as well as the timeline for construction and workforce planning.

Pre-construction open house
• When: 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19. No formal presentation is planned.
• Where: Aberdeen High School Commons, 410 North G Street, Aberdeen.

With federal approval received this week, WSDOT and K-G are beginning final design of the project and obtaining permits before beginning construction of the pontoon casting basin at the Aberdeen Log Yard. On-site construction work could begin as soon as mid-February.

In coming months, crews will construct a casting basin facility to build 33 concrete pontoons that can form the backbone of a replacement SR 520 floating bridge on Lake Washington in the event of an emergency. The current floating bridge opened in 1963 and is vulnerable to strong wind and waves.

If not needed in an emergency, pontoons constructed in Grays Harbor will be stored for a planned new SR 520 floating bridge. The first cycle of pontoons is scheduled to be complete in spring 2012, and the last cycle of pontoons in the spring of 2014. Construction of the planned new floating bridge is scheduled to begin in 2012..

WSDOT hired the design-build team of Kiewit-General to build the casting facility and pontoons. Visit the SR 520 program website for more information about the project and the open house: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr520bridge.

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information
Individuals requiring reasonable accommodations may request written materials in alternate formats, sign language interpreters, physical accessibility accommodations, or other reasonable accommodations by contacting the event sponsor Kiewit-General at 253-200-3516. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the event sponsor through the Washington Relay Service at 711.

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