From the Regional Administrator
Welcome to our November 2011 newsletter. This month we talk about the Keller Ferry and provide a wrap-up for our major summer construction jobs.
Remember to always be prepared for winter driving. Check the latest conditions on our web site or dial 5-1-1 in Washington State on any telephone.
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 A. Metcalf, P.E., Regional Administrator
WSDOT Eastern Region
509-324-6010
metcalk@wsdot.wa.gov
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Seattle firm selected to build new Keller Ferry vessel
Foss Maritime Co. of Seattle will build a replacement 20-car state ferry to operate on Lake Roosevelt at a fairly remote location, requiring the ferry be built in sections and transported across the state.
The Washington State Department of Transportation opened three bids for the project in November and awarded the contract to Foss, whose $9,557,178 bid was nearly $250,000 less than the state’s estimate. The new, all-aluminum ferry will be built in pieces at Foss’s Rainier, Ore., location (near Longview, Wash.), transported to Eastern Washington and assembled near the ferry landing.
The contract award is a major milestone in WSDOT’s progress toward replacing the aging Keller Ferry vessel, the 63-year-old Martha S. That ferry crosses the Columbia River connecting Lincoln and Ferry counties. The 1.25-mile crossing is a critical transportation link for nearby residents, school children, freight haulers and emergency services. The Martha S., which makes an average of 30 to 35 daily crossings, needs to be replaced with a larger, modern vessel that will meet current standards for vessel construction and current transportation needs at this site.
The construction contract calls for Foss to deliver the new ferry in May 2013. Visit the Keller Ferry Replacement project page for more details.
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2011 Project Status
We’ve finished up most of our construction work for 2011. Here are a few highlights:
North Spokane Corridor
As we mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the North Spokane Corridor (NSC)/US 2 Interchange was opened to traffic on November 16th. That job had been under construction since late 2008.
The NSC/Wandermere Interchange and final stretch of freeway lanes from US 2 to US 395 will be ready for traffic in the spring with the southbound lanes from Francis to Farwell also planned for completion in that same time frame. The NSC/Parksmith Road Interchange project is still underway, as weather permits, and is expected to be complete in the fall of 2012.
Interstate 90
On Interstate 90 west of downtown Spokane, work on the Latah Creek Bridge pavement is complete. The Sunset Hill pavement joint repair and smoothing portion of the project has been suspended for the winter. The diamond grinding process requires the use of water and cannot be done if there is any chance of freezing conditions. Drivers may see a few bumps where the existing rutted pavement meets those joint repairs until grinding can continue in the spring.
In the Spokane Valley, on the I-90 widening job, the contractor is still working on the center barrier with the hopes of getting that completed before the snow becomes an issue. If that can be done, we may be able to have all six lanes open this winter. Paving work is suspended for the winter. The contractor will come back in the spring to wrap that up. There is some temporary asphalt pavement that will need to be replaced with the permanent layer when warm weather returns. Work continues on the noise wall construction as weather permits.
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Pavement Preservation
There continues to be serious challenges in our pavement preservation program. This is the budget category that encompasses our asphalt resurfacing, chip-seal, and concrete pavement rehabilitation activities.
Eastern Region currently has approximately 600 lane miles of due or past due pavements within the seven county region. This equates to a need of an increase in funding from current program projections of about $150 million over the next six-year period. Statewide, we are looking at $1 billion in preservation needs that are not funded over the next ten years.
More traffic, studded tires, and budget shortfalls are changing the way we administer our paving program. We are now making tough decisions on which roadways are resurfaced and the type of surfacing used. We now let asphalt roadways go longer between resurfacing projects. That means more pothole patches and crack-sealing. Last summer we chip-sealed on highways that had been traditionally surfaced with Hot Mix Asphalt. The less-expensive, but less durable process, will hopefully extend the service life of the highway until our pavement preservation program funding can be restored.