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Project Title & Location
1) 6th Ave. to Jackson Ave. - HOV, Tacoma
2) 36th St. to Olympic Drive NW - HOV, Gig Harbor
3) Union Ave. to Jackson Ave. - HOV, Tacoma
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Project Description
This project constructs HOV Lanes on SR 16 from Olympic Drive in Gig Harbor to Union Avenue in Tacoma. There are currently four travel lanes. There will be six lanes throughout the corridor when complete, with additional lanes provided between Union Avenue and 6th Avenue interchanges.
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Recent Progress
Construction is physically complete on the first phase of this project, 6th Avenue to Jackson Avenue.
Construction began in early May 2005 on the second phase, 36th Street to Olympic Drive. The median widening is complete and the westbound pavement has been overlaid with HMA. The eastbound on-ramp at Olympic has been widened and a new noise wall installed. The HOV ramp metering (with HOV bypass) is now operational. Due to bad weather the final eastbound overlay has been delayed until late spring 2006.
The third phase of the project, Union to Jackson Avenue, was awarded Feb. 7, 2005. Construction activities began March 11.
The pre-stressed girders have been placed at the westbound Snake Lake structure. The steel girders for the Center Street bridge have been erected between Piers 2 and 3. The bridge deck has been poured at the 12th Street bridge. The bottom slab of the 6th Avenue box girder bridge was poured Dec. 15, 2005. The piers at the Pearl Street Bridge are nearly complete. Contractor submittals for shoring and falsework have been late which has slowed down construction progress at times.
The noise wall near Snake Lake and the foundation for another noise wall at the 6th Ave off-ramp are nearly complete. The footing and approximately half of the wall panels are complete for a retaining wall along the pedestrian path near 19th Street.
The Center Street ramps have been paved between SR 16 and Mullen Street. Minor grading and paving is occurring in other areas around the project.
Compost and permanent erosion control blankets have been placed on all the finished slopes.
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Design Construction Impacts
Maintaining compatible work zones has been the result of ongoing coordination between SR 16 HOV construction and the adjacent Tacoma Narrows Bridge project.
Contractor surveying has presented some challenges and points out the need for accurate and sufficient information in the plans.
Rebar conflicts have occurred at Snake Lake and Center Street bridges. The biggest problems have occurred where large horizontal pier cap steel has to weave through large bundled vertical column steel.
The contractor has submitted two Cost Reduction Incentive Proposals. The second is currently being evaluated. The main concepts are revised staging and revised roadway sections.
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Environmental Impacts / Compliance
For phase three of this project, 32 acres at Leach Creek mitigation site is in WSDOT possession. An alternate mitigation plan has been submitted which includes storm water treatment at Leach Creek and funding of improvements at China Lake.
For the entire project Temporary Water Pollution and Erosion Control Plans, Spill Prevention Plans, Fugitive Dust Plans, and Health and Safety Plans have been developed and are being implemented. High visibility fencing has been installed around wetland boundaries. Storm water run-off is being collected and treated to Department of Ecology standards for WSDOT construction projects. Water quality monitoring is performed regularly to ensure that turbidity thresholds are not exceeded at discharge points.
Some slope failures occurred during heavy rains but they have been stabilized and covered with plastic. One storm water pond overtopped and spilled into an adjacent wetland. A walk thru with DOE the next day identified no violations.
WSDOT staff are conducting monthly walk-throughs with Department of Ecology and City of Tacoma staff to review work activities and BMP's on project.
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Impacts to Traffic
Intermittent shoulder closures and nighttime lane closures can be expected throughout the project. SR 16 traffic will be shifted to the eastbound Snake Lake Bridge by January 2006. All traffic is expected to move to the new 12th Street, 6th Avenue and Pearl Street structures by July 2006.
Electronic message signs and highway advisory radio will be employed throughout the area, including the I-5 corridor, to alert travelers about traffic conditions on SR 16 during construction. A full communication and outreach program will also be used for traffic mitigation.
Winter maintenance activities such as snow and ice removal will be performed by WSDOT Maintenance crews.
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