Throughout the past months, crews have made considerable progress on the project. Below you will find information and links to photos on just a few of the highlights. For more information, please contact WSDOT via e-mail at orfeedback@wsdot.wa.gov or by phone at (360) 357-2703.
SR 16 Ramps at Center Street:
The highway ramps at Tyler and Center streets will be replaced with a new, safer interchange to improve traffic flow in the Center Street and Orchard Street area. The interchange will open in 2007.
The steel girders are installed and WSDOT expects to complete the new ramp to Center Street in September. Center Street remains at the ‘center’ of three elements of work in this area: the completion of work at Center/Mullen Street, the new off-ramp fly-over bridge, and the completion of the Snake Lake bridge widening. Currently, the completion of the Snake Lake remains the last piece of the puzzle as it’s scheduled for completion in October.
SR 16 Westbound:
The new westbound roadway near Cheney Stadium, three stormwater treatment ponds and a portion of the Scott Pierson Trail are all under construction.
These and the 19th Street East off-ramp will open to traffic once crews complete the new bridge over Snake Lake in October.
While the ramp is closed, crews will also build a pedestrian tunnel to run under 19th Street, allowing trail users to pass under the heavily traveled 19th Street. The tunnel is part of the Scott Pierson Trail, a separated trail along SR 16 WSDOT is building to improve bicycle and pedestrian traffic within the corridor.
Highway Bridge Progress: 12th, 6th, Pearl:
New highway bridges at 12th Street and 6th Avenue are nearing completion. Concrete poured and cured in early June will be ready for drivers later in June, while the new bridge over Pearl Street will be finished in July.
As July turns to August, westbound SR 16 traffic will be using this new roadway so the contractor can work in the median through August and September. These traffic shifts require extra driver attention.
Center/Mullen/Orchard streets:
To improve traffic flow throughout the SR 16 corridor, WSDOT will be widening Center Street and improving the roadways signals at Mullen and Orchard streets. Once materials are acquired, the contractor will begin working in this area. Since the contractor is allowed only 70 working days at this busy intersection, the work will be complete in late September.
SR 16 Orchard Street Signal:
The SR 16 ramp at South Orchard Street is nearly complete, with paving and other sidewalk work taking place throughout the summer. Improvements, including a pedestrian traffic island will improve turning movements for passenger cars and delivery trucks heading east from Center Street businesses.
Center Street Park-n-Ride:
The Center Street Park-n-Ride has been temporarily relocated to Tacoma Alliance Church at 2401 S. Orchard St., reopening at the Center Street location in 2007. Crews will complete work on the Center Street Park-n-Ride lot later this year, however the contractor is currently using the park-n-ride as a staging area. Keeping machinery close to the worksite minimizes delays.
36th Street to Olympic Drive:
On the Gig Harbor side, the contractor completed median widening, barrier installation and westbound pavement overlay. The eastbound onramp at Olympic was widened and crews installed a new noise wall. Weather permitting, crews will complete the final pavement overlay Summer 2006.