July 2009
See what construction work is planned for this week.
With good weather, we could have all lanes open to traffic in July.
Overview
WSDOT will widen approximately 5 miles of State Route 20 from two to four lanes between State Route 536 (Memorial Highway) and Interstate 5 in Burlington. In addition, we will improve the on and off ramps at the SR 20/I-5 interchange.
Why is WSDOT
widening State Route 20?
Currently, SR 20 is a two-lane undivided highway from SR 536 to Interstate 5. There have been a large number of serious collisions along this stretch of highway. Drivers routinely experience congestion near the SR 20 / I-5 interchange. There are not enough lanes to efficiently move traffic through the interchange. In addition, Goldenrod Road, which provides access to the southbound I-5 ramps and the northbound I-5 ramps, can not efficiently handle increased traffic demands.
The End Result
We will widen five miles of Highway 20 in Burlington to four lanes, between SR 536 and I-5, to improve safety and relieve congestion. Drivers will also pass through the SR 20/I-5 interchange more safely and with reduced congestion.
Stage 1: Our contractor, Scarsella Brothers, Inc. of Kent started stage 1 construction in April 2007. Specifically, we:
- Widened SR 20 from SR 536 (Fredonia) to east of Higgins/Airport Way,
- Divided the highway with a 32-foot grass median and cable barrier,
- Built four bridges,
- Added a traffic signal at Higgins/Airport Way,
- Built a wetland mitigation site.
Stage 2: Stage 2 construction began in spring 2008. Specifically, we will:
- Widen SR 20 to four lanes from east of Higgins/Airport Way to the I-5 interchange,
- Add additional turn lanes and rebuild the signal at Avon-Allen Road,
- Realign Pulver Road to accommodate through traffic and install a new traffic signal with additional turn lanes, and add
- Build new elevated southbound I-5 on- and off-ramps,
- Build a new signalized intersection to connect the southbound I-5 ramps and the new Garrett Road to SR 20,
- Build a new signalized intersection at Nevitt Road and extend Nevitt Road under the elevated ramps,
- Remove the access and traffic signals at the intersection of SR 20 at Goldenrod Road/Peterson Road,
- Widen the northbound off-ramp from one to two lanes,
- Add a second westbound through lane under the bridge at I-5,
- Divide the highway with a grass median and cable barrier between east of Higgins/Airport Way and Pulver Road,
- Build three bridges and extend a box culvert,
- Construct storm water treatment facilities,
- Plant a mitigation site,
- Interconnect the traffic signals at Rio Vista Blvd, Haggen’s Access Road, northbound ramps, Nevitt Road and southbound ramps/Garrett Road,
- Add new street lighting at several intersections.
Project Benefits
- Safety - Dividing the highway with a median and cable barrier will reduce collisions. New traffic signals will increase safety at busy intersections. The improved on and off-ramps at the I-5 interchange will reduce the risk of collisions.
- Congestion relief - The improved interchange will have greater capacity for cars and improve traffic flow. Improved on and off-ramps will ease congestion.
What is the project timeline?
- Fall 2009 - We expect the entire project to be completed.
- July 15, 2008 - Stage 1 complete.
- Spring 2008 - Construction began on Stage 2.
- April 2008 - We awarded the second stage of this project to Imco Construction for their low bid of $28.4 million.
- April 2007 - Construction on Stage 1 began.
- February 21, 2007 - We awarded Stage 1 of this project to Scarsella Brothers, Inc. for their low bid of $15.1 million.
Financial Information
This project is funded through the following fund sources:
- 2003 Gas Tax (Nickel Funding) - $107,200,000
- Existing Funds - $8,300,000
- Other Agency Funds - $2,700,000
Burlington, Skagit PUD, Comcast, Cascade Natural Gas, Puget Sound Energy, Verizon
- Total Funding Available From All Sources - $118,200,000
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Communications Dave Chesson
WSDOT Mt. Baker Headquarters
1043 Goldenrod Road, Suite 101
Burlington, WA 98233-3415
Phone: 360-757-5970
E-mail: ChessoD@wsdot.wa.gov
Project Engineer David Crisman
Mount Vernon Project Engineering Office
1109 East Hickox Road
Mount Vernon, WA 98274
Phone: 360-428-1593
E-mail: Crismad@wsdot.wa.gov
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