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Project Facts

• Skagit County traffic increased by 19 percent on state highways between 1996 and 2004 as the population grew by approximately 13,000 people. On average 20,000 vehicles use SR 20 within the area of this project daily.
  
• Between 2001 and 2006 there were 384 collisions, involving almost 800 drivers, within our project limits. As a result, eight people died and 227 were hurt.
• During Stage 1, crews  hauled 70,000 cubic yards of dirt (7,000 dump truck loads) and 46 tons (3,000 dump truck loads) of crushed rock for the base of the new highway.

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?

• July 15, 2008 - The last of the new lanes on stage 1 is opened.
• Fall 2009 - We expect the entire project to be completed.
• Summer 2008 - Stage 1 construction 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.

Public Involvement
March 4, 2008 - We held an open house at Burlington City Hall so the public could review our plans for stage 2, make comments and ask questions.

We held an open house on November 16, 2006 at the Burlington-Edison High School. The public had an opportunity to view the designs and talk with project engineers.

Oct. 27, 2004 - We hosted a limited access hearing in the cafeteria at Burlington Edison High School in Burlington. The hearing was an important opportunity for nearby residents to understand the access plan and how it will affect them.  Planned safety improvements (a median in the center of the highway, widened shoulders, and closing or moving driveways) can affect access to nearby homes and businesses.  

Jan. 2006 - We distributed the environmental assessment for public and local agency comment. 

March 23, 2005 - We held an environmental assessment hearing at the Burlington-Edison High School in Burlington.   

Project team members are also available to provide updates at neighborhood and community group meetings. Please contact the Project Engineer.

Environmental Protection
Required environmental studies are complete. FHWA signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and accepted our environmental assessment. We are designing this project to avoid or protect wetlands and other sensitive areas. At some locations wetland impacts are unavoidable. A wetland mitigation site will be built to compensate.

Various permanent storm water treatment facilities will be constructed to treat highway runoff. These treatment facilities will include biofiltration swales, vegetative filter strips, detention ponds, and an underground detention system. A detailed analysis of the project's environmental impacts will be completed and an appropriate mitigation plan will be developed in cooperation with permitting agencies.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental Services Web site for more information.

Increasing safety is one of our priorities
Widening State Route 20 to four lanes and other safety improvements will increase motorist safety. A median will separate east and westbound traffic, helping prevent head-on collisions. Motorists' visibility will be improved, giving them the ability to see farther down the road. Wider shoulders will provide room for drivers to pull off the roadway during an emergency and will help reduce run off the road accidents.

Will this project impact tribal resources?
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the tribal nations using the process outlined in Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act and the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan.

Section 106 consultation was initiated in May 2004 with the Swinomish, Samish, Upper Skagit, Tulalip, and Kikiallus Tribes.  Follow up calls were made to each of the the federally recognized tribes.  We've completed our cultural resource survey and consultation with the tribes. 

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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