|
Project Title & Location
NSC - Francis Avenue to Farwell Road - Construct New Roadway
|
Project Description
Constructs two lanes of the North Spokane Corridor between Farwell Road and Francis Avenue. Provides a new road between these two major county roads and completes the grading between US 2 and Wandermere. This project will increase capacity and reduce travel time. There will be two lanes when this project is completed.
|
|
Recent Progress
The project consists of four contracts. The first contract, Farwell Road Lowering, has been completed and was opened to traffic on June 4, 2005. The contract was completed under estimated costs. The second contract, Gerlach to Wandermere Grading, has completed roadway clearing work with roadway excavation and embankment 50% complete. The U.S. 2 detour was opened to traffic on September 2nd, 2005 and the Market Street haul road crossing was also completed. The new Piper Road and Temporary Perry Road alignments have been opened to traffic. The re-alignment of the various utility lines within the project are 85% complete. Drainage work on this project is 80% complete. The design of the third contract, Francis Avenue to U.S. 2 – Structures, is complete and is on schedule for advertisement in early 2006. One final change to the project was the permanent elimination of the Parksmith rail spur realignment. The spur realignment was originally intended to save structure cost and provide for a future Market Street and Stoneman Road intersection as part of the Spokane County Bypass plans. A change in girder type reduced structure costs and the change in the county bypass plans eliminated the need to rebuild the intersection at Market and Stoneman. Redesign of structures and elimination of the spur realignment reduced costs approximately $1million, however this change has delayed the acquisition of easements from BNSF. The PS&E for the fourth contract, Francis Avenue to U.S. 2 – Grading and Paving, is approximately 40% complete and on track to meet the October 2006 ad date. The 90% complete bridge plans for Lincoln Road, Gerlach Road, and the Pedestrian/Bicycle crossing at Parksmith are complete and will be turned into the Region in January 2006. To save costs for hauling material a new quarry near the new roadway is being developed with the project. A rezone hearing for the proposed Blystone Quarry property was held October 25, 2005 at Spokane County. A decision on the findings of this hearing is anticipated in late December 2005. The design team has met with all affected utility companies within the project limits. These companies are beginning their preliminary design work for the relocation of their facilities. The design team continues to progress with remaining plans, specifications, and estimate along with the Hydraulic design for the project.
|
|
Design Construction Impacts
As noted in the March 2005 and June 2005 Gray Notebooks, costs for both Nickel funded projects on the North Spokane Corridor could increase at completion in 2011, due to higher than anticipated costs in Right of Way acquisition and construction materials. The region is investigating project design changes to reduce costs and develop alternative funding proposals to address this cost increase
|
|
Environmental Impacts / Compliance
No impacts at this time
|
Impacts to Traffic
The US 2 detour is open to traffic, no restrictions are anticipated. Market street is reopened to traffic, with the haul road structure in use no traffic impacts are expected. Napa Road was closed and cul-de-sacs were built at Winger Road and Garden Road. Brief stoppage of traffic on Farwell Road for haul traffic will continue until the end of the project. The new Piper Road and temporary Perry Road alignment have been opened to traffic.
|