SR 539 - Horton Road to Ten Mile Road Widening

Quarterly Project Report Update for Quarter Ending March 2007

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.

Contractor/Consultant
Construction contractor has yet to be selected.

Recent Progress
Necessary property acquisition is complete. 

This project was originally scheduled to be constructed in two phases.  Delays in acquiring a wetland mitigation site has pushed this project back into one contract.  Restoration and replacement of impacted environmental elements are a permitting requirement of this project. 

This contract was advertised to bidders on January 16, 2007.  Bids will be opened on March 14, 2007.  It is planned that work activities will start shortly after focusing on utility construction and relocation.

Design Construction Impacts
As there are numerous utilities in this cooridor it is anticipated that visible progress may not be apparent this first year.  Most construction activities may focus on underground utility installation, overhead utility installation and relocation and bridge construction at Tenmile and Fourmile Creeks.

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.

Environmental permitting for the entire project is complete.  Environmental issues and new wetlands discovered in the wetland redelineation completed in late 2004 have pushed the projected advertisement date out from the originally scheduled April 2005.

Impacts to Traffic
Staged construction will minimize traffic impacts.  During construction, one lane of traffic in each direction will be open at all times. Detour routes will be provided when side roads are closed. 

Roadway closures will be allowed for limited durations during night time hours.  When there are roadway closures signed detours will be provided on county roads.

Project Milestones Scheduled Attained Milestone Outlook
Begin PE   June 1999
Right of Way Certification  January 2007  January 2007  
Environmental Documentation February 1995 June 2006  The wetland delineation done in 1998 was updated in fall 2004, with the number of wetlands within the project limits approximately doubling.  This required reworking environmental permit applications, delaying submittal of the applications until January 2006.
Contract Advertisement December 2006 January 16, 2007 The Value Engineering Study recommended a December 18, 2006 advertisement rather than February of 2007.  Inability to finalize uitility relcocations have moved this to January 16, 2007.
Open to Traffic Fall 2008 Planning for two construction seasons to build this project.
Project Cost Summary: Dollars in
millions 		Percent
of Total

Planned vs. Actual Expenditures
(Total Project Cost)
Project Expenditure Chart

Preliminary Engineering $6.96 13.2%
Right-of-Way $12.59 23.9%
Construction $33.09 62.9%
Funded Project Costs $52.64 100%

Nickel funds included in above costs

 $0.00 0%

2005 Transportation Partnership Account

  For more information, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects

Chris Damitio P.E., WSDOT Project Engineer @ (360) 788-7400 or E-mail: damitic@wsdot.wa.gov

Project Cost Summary reflects the March 2006 Approved Legislative Supplemental Budget