SR 16, 6th Avenue to Jackson Avenue HOV
Send us your feedback on this project.
Pierce County
This project is located on State Route (SR) 16 in west Tacoma between 6th and Jackson avenues. It is the first of three construction contracts allocated $90.5 million in the 2003 Legislative Transportation Budget.
Traffic congestion is highest through this urban segment of SR 16 and thus this project has been prioritized to receive immediate improvements. The remaining contracts will add HOV lanes between Olympic Drive in Gig Harbor and Union Avenue in Tacoma, with completion scheduled to coincide with the opening of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) were installed, including a variable message sign (VMS) at 56th Street, HOV ramp metering at the eastbound Jackson Avenue onramp, and loop detectors in the pavement to provide traffic flow information. New pavement was constructed for future HOV lanes. A noise wall was constructed along the north side of the highway. In addition, this project constructed a portion of the Scott Pierson Trail between Pearl Street and the new War Memorial Park being constructed by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge project.
The HOV by-pass lane on the Jackson Avenue onramp will benefit buses, carpools and vanpools. Ramp metering will help maintain an even flow of traffic on SR 16. The ITS elements in this project will benefit the driving public as more data collection systems and VMS are brought on line to provide up-to-the-minute motorist information. New pavement extends the service life of the roadway. The noise wall will reduce noise levels for residences next to the highway.
Construction Summary
The project was constructed according to the original design. Some changes were made to clarify ambiguities and omissions. These changes were the result of unclear plans or necessary work that was not identified in the plans. Changes to the contract had minimal impact to cost and time. The contractor completed the project this construction season as planned.
The working relationship between WSDOT and the contractor, Tri-State Construction, has been professional. Tri-State staff readily communicated issues, concerns, and changes and impacts to the schedule. When issues came up, the discussions were challenging but negotiations were successful and resolution was reached through continual effort on both sides. The contractor and WSDOT share common goals for maintaining the safety of the traveling public and workers and ensuring the environment is appropriately protected.
As of November 17, 2004, when the project received substantial completion, 94 percent of the working days (145/155) had been used.
As of the end of November, 88 percent of the contract total has been paid to the contractor. The contractor's original bid was $4,040,159. With overruns and added work being balanced by underruns, the project is expected to be completed within the current budget.
Contractor
Tri-State Construction Inc., Bellevue
WSDOT Contact
Dave Ziegler, Project Engineer
253.534.3100,
email: ZiegleD@wsdot.wa.gov
Send us your feedback on this project.
 back to top
|