From the Regional Administrator
Welcome to our October newsletter. This month we talk about the Keller Ferry, winter driving, North Spokane Corridor funding, and sidewalks in Kettle Falls.
As always, if you have any questions on items in this newsletter, or other transportation issues, please let me know. Give me a call at (509) 324-6010 or drop me an e-mail at metcalk@wsdot.wa.gov .
Keith Metcalf
Regional Administrator
- - - - -
Busy month for the Keller Ferry
October was an interesting month for the Keller Ferry on Lake Roosevelt.
During routine repair work on October 7, a pinhole leak was discovered on the hull of the Martha S. and water was seeping into the hull interior. WSDOT crews advised the U.S. Coast Guard and the boat was removed from service.
Rusted segment of hull
Welding in the new hull plate
After some quick patching, the vessel was sailed to the drydock facility near Grand Coulee Dam and repairs were made. As part of the work, a section of hull was removed and a new steel plate welded into place then painted. The costs for the repairs are not yet finalized but estimates are around $30,000. The boat resumed service on Monday, October 19 at 11:00 a.m.
A week later, crews noticed that one of the engines was overheating during crossings. The boat was again taken out of service to replace that engine with a spare unit that is kept on hand. It takes about nine to 12 hours to make the switch. Work started at the end of the day on Tuesday, October 27 at midnight. The boat was back in service at about 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28.
The Martha S. began service on the Columbia River in September 1948. The boat operates 18 hours per day, making the nearly two-mile crossing in about 15 minutes. The route is the only non-mountain pass, State highway access to Ferry County and the Town of Republic. When service is interrupted, drivers must take a 60-mile detour via the SR 155 bridge at Grand Coulee or the Gifford/Inchelium ferry farther upriver. This is especially tough for the Wilbur School district as they bus students from the Keller area on the north shore of the lake to Wilbur, using the ferry in both directions.
- - - - -
Region crews getting ready for winter duties
The WSDOT Eastern Region maintenance team is getting ready for another Inland Northwest winter. Our crews are hoping for a little lighter snowfall than what we experienced during the last two seasons. The crews are responsible for snow and ice control on about 1,700 miles of state highways in seven counties
A large part of our snow and ice preparation routine is getting equipment ready. We have 21 single-axle trucks and 48 dual-axle trucks giving us 69 units in our sanding/deicing fleet. All of these trucks are equipped with snowplows of various designs and styles.
Fifty-six of the trucks have their dump boxes removed and sanding boxes installed. Each sanding box is capable of pre-wetting solid materials such as sand or salt to help the material adhere to the pavement. The remaining trucks are capable of spreading sand/deicing without removing the box. Nineteen of the trucks have side wing blades installed which allows them to plow more than one lane or a lane and a shoulder simultaneously.
Fourteen additional trucks are equipped with liquid deicer tanks, seven of them have plows installed. The Region has eight motor graders that can have side wing plows mounted on them if needed. The wings are not installed if the winter is not too severe.
How does the sand and salt get into the trucks? The region has 39 front end loaders used to load solid deicing material and sand. Some of these loaders are used to open roads that get drifted in.
Finally, we have three large snow blowers in the region. These are used to attack those drifted sections and to widen the roadway when the snow gets too deep, especially on Sherman Pass.
Snowblower on US 2 in January 2009
Supplies of liquid anti-icer chemicals such as magnesium chloride and calcium chloride have been purchased and stored. Solid de-icer has been stockpiled and sand piles have been replenished.
Depending on their location, Region crews will transition to winter shift hours, beginning in mid-November, to provide seven-day per week coverage with day and night shift schedules. Of course, early storms can always change the winter shift startup plan.
After all the preparation is done, the crews watch the weather using localized forecasts from Northwest Weathernet and a network of 14 weather reporting stations throughout the Region. These stations not only provide general weather data, but also pavement temperatures, to help the team respond.
Drivers can do their part by adjusting their driving techniques during ice and snow conditions. Slowing down, increasing following distance, and have vehicles with proper traction devices is always good advice. Our motto is, “know before you go” and we encourage drivers to check road and weather conditions prior to winter travel. A good place to find winter weather driving tips and highway information is on our website at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter .
- - - - -
NSC funding
We are anxiously awaiting word on the $35 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to fund the construction of the southbound lanes of the North Spokane Corridor (NSC), between Francis/Freya and Farwell Road. The NSC contract is shovel ready and construction will start in 2010 if TIGER funding is secured. It is anticipated that project selections for the grants will occur in early 2010. Visit www.dot.gov/recovery for more information on the TIGER program or visit http://www.recovery.gov/ for information about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
- - - - -
Sidewalks under construction in Kettle Falls
The City of Kettle Falls is getting some long-awaited sidewalks along US 395. The new walkways, with curbs and gutters, are under construction on the south side of US 395 from the east city limits to Juniper Street. A combination of Federal Surface Transportation Funds, ARRA (Stimulus) dollars, and Washington State Transportation Improvement Board monies were tied together to pay for the nearly $700,000 project. The City plans to continue the work by adding curb and sidewalks to the north side of the highway as funding becomes available in the future.