|
Project Title & Location
SR 539: Horton Road to Ten Mile Road Widening
MP 1.67 to MP 6.26
|
Project Description
Widening Guide Meridian Road to five lanes will increase safety and traffic capacity along this heavily-traveled traffic corridor. This widening work will also provide an additional lane of traffic in each direction along a major freight corridor between Bellingham and Aldergrove, British Columbia.
|
|
Recent Progress
Necessary property acquisition began in June 2001 and is approximately 90% complete. Several more pieces of property are currently in the final stages of acquisition.
Contract Plans and Specifications (PS&E) for the overall project are currently 90% complete. Present focus is on the completion of PS&E for the limited work to be done in Phase 1, set to be advertised in the Spring of 2006. (see below for more details).
During a site visit last fall, the US Army Corps of Engineers requested that additional features be included in one of the project wetland mitigation sites - this work was not in the original scope but has since been incorporated in the agreement with the consultant, and the additional design work is nearly complete. The resulting product will provide higher water-quality in the mitigation site, as well as provide a significant credit towards offsetting wetland impacts during construction.
|
|
Design Construction Impacts
A portion of the work has been broken out in advance of the 2007 ad date - this Phase 1 project, consisting mainly of select clearing and earthwork, the construction of 4 stormwater ponds and 1 wetland mitigation site, as well as other preparatory work, is anticipated to go to advertisement in spring 2006.
Recent inflationary trends in the construction industry and prices being seen in this area indicate that the current allocation for this project may not be sufficient. The current scope may need to be reevaluated to deliver this project in it's current funding.
|
|
Environmental Impacts / Compliance
This project will provide storm water detention and treatment ponds. New wetlands will also be constructed to mitigate for impacts during construction at Deer Creek, Ten Mile Creek and Four Mile Creek.
Environmental permitting for the entire project is being aggressively pursued at present, in order to have permits in place for construction of Phase 1 this year. Environmental issues and new wetlands discovered in the wetland redelineation completed in late 2004 have pushed the projected Phase 1 ad date out from April 2005 to April 2006. Due to environmental review response time, permits will likely not be obtained prior to June 2006.
|
Impacts to Traffic
Staged construction will minimize traffic impacts. During construction, one lane of traffic will be open at all times. Detour routes will be provided when side roads are closed.
|