From the Regional Administrator

Winter is in full swing, so this month’s newsletter starts off with some information on how we handle snow and ice duties. It has been a challenge again this winter with snow depths measured in feet instead of just inches. We also update you on our survey activities, the Hedlund Bridge, the SR 206 roundabout, and highway damage cost recovery.

Remember, if you have any questions about the information here or other transportation issues, please let me know. Give me a call at (509) 324-6010 or e-mail at metcalk@wsdot.wa.gov

If you want this newsletter delivered directly to your e-mail, you can sign up to receive it at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Eastern/EmailUpdates

You can also view previous editions of this monthly publication.

Keith Metcalf, Regional Administrator
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WSDOT crews on the job with winter road duties

With winter upon us, crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation, Eastern Region are now fully prepared to handle snow and ice control duties. About 200 crew members working two shifts, seven days per week are assigned to the 1,600 miles of state highways in the seven northeastern counties in the state, including Washington ’s highest mountain pass - Sherman Pass at 5,575 feet above sea level. The Region snow and ice control cost is about $13.7 million for the two-year budget cycle.


Snowblower on US 2

Snow and ice control crews and equipment are based at 20 locations throughout the region. The crews use 93 snowplows, most of which include a truck-mounted road sander as their primary tool. The Region also operates 14 liquid anti-ice chemical trucks. When the big snowfalls are combined with high winds, like last winter, three highway snow blowers are put into service to clear drifts. Maintenance teams are normally on duty from around 4:00 a.m. to midnight or later. The exact hours of each shift will vary slightly at different locations.

Ultimately, drivers are responsible to operate their vehicles in a safe manner during winter road conditions. Most winter collisions result from drivers traveling too fast for conditions and following too closely.

Emergency road closure violations can be dangerous and costly

Emergency highway closures in this area are a challenge for Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) crews and the motoring public. While many drivers and residents are inconvenienced by the closures, a few motorists created an even bigger problem and a safety hazard for themselves and WSDOT crews.

Over the last week, snow and wind combined to create snowdrifts, and visibility problems for drivers. Early last week, WSDOT closed a section of SR 27 and part of SR 21 to prevent drivers from entering areas that were impassable and where crews were working. A number of drivers went past the official closure signs and attempted to continue on the highways.

These drivers create a serious safety concern. Not only could they face serious injury to themselves or highway crews, but drivers could face a fine of $124 or more if they violate a highway closure.

Under Washington law, RCW 47.48.040, the white sign with black lettering “Road Closed” marks a location where all private and commercial vehicle traffic is restricted. Only official law enforcement, authorized emergency services, or WSDOT vehicles are permitted to pass. Residents inside the closure would need to contact the Washington State Patrol or WSDOT for access.

The WSDOT reminds motorists to drive safely and observe these emergency road closures, for their own safety and the safety of WSDOT crews.

Project Follow-Ups

SR 206 Roundabout

Before it was built, it was the subject of controversy, but the SR 206/Bruce Road roundabout has reduced collisions and proven that this traffic control strategy works.

Prior to the roundabout, the intersection was a frequent destination for emergency crews with 35 collisions in the five years prior to the roundabout installation. Since the roundabout was opened in September, 2005 there have been four collisions - all of which occurred in the first nine months, with none of these directly involving multiple vehicles.

One involved a motorist who hit construction machinery, one was a one-car wreck involving a drunk driver who drove through the central island, another was noted as "improper backing,” and finally, one was a sideswipe of a parked car.


This driver missed the roundabout

In essence, there seems to be concerns prior to roundabouts being constructed but after they are opened, and drivers learn how to use them, they do a good job.

Hedlund Bridge Update

We reported on this bridge project in our September newsletter. Now this $3.8 million dollar, Stevens County project has been completed on time, and on budget. The finished bridge is quite dramatic in terms of the unique sag profile built in to it. We think this new bridge design technique will help us save construction costs in the future as it allow us to reduce bridge approach costs in sag vertical curve situations by better fitting the natural lay of the land.

The WSDOT/Eastern Region Local Programs office arranged the federal funding for this county road project.

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Eastern Region Surveying

The art of land surveying has become much more sophisticated through the use of technology, and our crew at the Eastern Region is no exception.

The team uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) over traditional survey instruments, as it allows one person to collect satellite data, verses a three-person survey crew using conventional angle-turning and electronic distance measuring devices. The GPS system uses 24 orbiting satellites to beam down location information. By using a minimum of 4 satellites, a person using a mapping-grade GPS receiver can determine a position on the earth to approximately 3-foot of error. Recently, the crew used the GPS survey-grade equipment for an emergency railroad bridge repair project. The Telford trestle burned in a wildfire earlier this year. As soon as a desired repair strategy was determined, the surveyors were pressed into service to create the cross-section, field design, and set slope-stakes for proposed embankment to replace the fire-consumed wooden structure. The survey crew was on site at 8:00 a.m. and completed all construction staking activities by 11:00 a.m. the same morning.

Another surveying enhancement is through the use of GPS Continuous Operating Reference Stations (CORS) in conjunction with the Washington State Reference Network (WSRN) throughout the state. These permanent stations generate correction signals that the surveyors use at a location reference. With these in place, there is no need for daily base station set-ups and take-downs, there is no worry of vandalism or theft of base station equipment, and the CORS equipment operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The NSC/Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Tunnel project used this technology to verify the location of survey control and the east wall location prior to constructing the westerly wall.

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Highway damage costs recovered

When a motorist is involved in an accident that causes damage to Washington State Department of Transportation property a specific account is established to capture the related repair cost.

The Eastern Region Financial Services Office has created an electronic filing system that assigns each claim a specific number. Within each claim, supporting documents are electronically filed. These documents consist of repair cost estimates, Washington State Patrol accident reports, photos of the damage, and other related items.

Once the Financial Services Office receives the electronic documents from the maintenance areas the entire file is transmitted to the WSDOT Risk Management Office in Olympia for collection. With all of the information being centrally located, the time from initial report of damage to collection proceedings by the Risk Management Office has been dramatically reduced.

The Eastern Region Financial Services Office recognizes the importance of recovering taxpayer dollars from damage caused to the highway system. This new process is a perfect example of the ongoing improvements that are made to identify and collect these costs.