Project Title & Location
SR 28/E. End of the George Sellar Bridge

Project Description
This project reconstructs portions of the SR285/SR28 interchange on the east end of the George Sellar Br. in East Wenatchee. The main improvement is the addition of a bypass route for southbound SR 28 traffic. This relieves congestion at the intersection of SR 28 and Grant Rd. and allows a triple left turn movement, optimizing capacity of the signal there. This is phase one of a two phase project (2nd phase unfunded), to ultimately construct a Single Point Urban Interchange at the intersection.

Contractor/Consultant
Project not yet advertised or awarded.

Recent Progress

Recent efforts have focused on optimizing the bypass design to minimize impacts to environmentally sensitive areas between the bypass alignment and the Columbia River.  Consultation with the Department of Archaeological and Historic Preservation (DAHP) is underway.  The design team has been working with WSDOT and Eastern Washington State University archaeologists to develop a plan to mitigate and minimize environmental impacts and attain National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approval for the project.

Design Construction Impacts
 The innovative bypass design requires acquisition of a portion of the Fred Meyer parking lot for the new roadway.  The parking lot is built on an embankment  created by a 30+ ft high retaining wall.  The bypass design extends this retaining wall for a distance of 1900 ft paralleling the Columbia River, while maintaining a buffer of natural terrain along the shoreline.  A Chelan County PUD transmission line will be relocated for the project.  Close coordination is ongoing with the City of East Wenatchee, Douglas County, the Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council (MPO) and local businesses to keep these stakeholders informed on project development.  This project will alter traffic patterns and access to Fred Meyer and other properties.  These impacts are being resolved through the Access Hearing process.

Environmental Impacts / Compliance

A NEPA Documented Categorical Exclusion (CE) asis the required environmental approval.  As mentioned above there will be environmental impacts that require development of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between FHWA, DAHP and WSDOT.  The MOA includes a data recovery plan to conduct further cultural resource investigations and a monitoring plan to ensure archaeological monitoring of some ground disturbing construction activities.

Impacts to Traffic
 The majority of this project can be constructed with little disruption to traffic on SR28 or SR285.  Traffic using the Fred Meyer parking lot will have minor impacts.  When connections are made to SR28/SR285 traffic will need to be shifted onto the shoulder and/or detoured briefly.  During the construction of the added lane on Grant Road access to businesses will be temporarily impacted, and possible lane closures will be needed.  

Planned vs. Actual Expenditures
(Total Project Cost)

Nickel funds included in above costs

2005 Transportation Partnership Account