A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
Washington Jobs Now - ARRA funds fill the gap for regional multi-use trail
Federal stimulus money provided the funds needed for the City of Lacey to construct a multi-use path that has been planned for more than 10 years. |
A project envisioned more than a decade ago is now coming to fruition, thanks to the financial boost provided, in part, by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.
The missing link of shared-use path that connects the Lacey Woodland Regional Trail to the Chehalis Western Trail and the City of Lacey is finally under construction. During the four months the trail has been under construction, it has employed an average of 60 workers per month and reached a peak of 84 workers in September. The $2.5 million project cost is covered by $1 million in ARRA funds, along with other federal, state and local funding sources.
“We’ve been talking about this trail since 1992,” said Assistant City of Lacey Manager Scott Spence. “With the ARRA funds we were able to accomplish this task – it could have remained on the books for quite a long time without it."
The project completes 2.2 miles of separated trail featuring a 10-foot wide paved surface for walkers and bicyclists with a gravel shoulder for joggers. Marked crossing-islands are being constructed at major streets, and landscaping and lighting are being installed in key locations.
“We expect the trial will be used predominantly for recreation. It will link south Thurston County to the Puget Sound and Woodland Creek Park in Lacey,” said Spence. “Since the trail goes through the city’s commercial core, it also supports alternative modes of transportation and gives commuters an option to get out of their cars. That benefits the city both in terms of traffic congestion and air quality.”
The trail will be opened for use by the end of November, with remaining landscaping work scheduled for completion in February 2010.
top
Maintenance & Operations feature - WSDOT jumps into action after SR 410 landslide
One-half mile of SR 410 was destroyed by a massive slide which changed the course of the Naches River. |
On Sunday, Oct. 11, a massive landslide demolished a half-mile of SR 410 15 miles west of Naches. The landslide pushed significant amounts of earth and highway pavement into the Naches River, changing the river's course. Dozens of nearby residents were evacuated because of potential flooding. Gov. Gregoire proclaimed an emergency in Yakima County due to the damage.
To keep drivers safe, WSDOT and WSP initially closed approximately 47 miles of SR 410 between Mount Rainier National Park's Tipsoo Lake (just east of the junction with SR 123) and the junction with US 12, five miles west of Naches. As geologists determined the slide had stabilized, crews began work Oct. 12 to re-establish a temporary route around the damaged section of SR 410 west of Naches, with the goal of safe access to Yakima for the 600 homes and businesses along SR 410. On Oct. 13, WSDOT shortened the SR 410 closure to four miles to allow hunters and outdoor enthusiasts into areas not affected by the landslide. One lane of the emergency route was opened on Oct. 14 for local residents only. East-west travelers will need to use alternate routes such as I-90 or US 12 and SR 123.
SR 410 remains closed from milepost 104, the west intersection of the Nile Loop Road, and at milepost 108, the east intersection of the Nile Loop Road. SR 410 is under 25 to 30 feet of rock and other debris. Due to the immensity of the landslide and concerns about the stability of the remaining hillside, we are carefully assessing possible options to restore the transportation corridor along the Naches River. Our immediate goal is to restore local access to employment and services via the county road system. Currently no east-west SR 410 traffic is allowed on this emergency route. We will continue to work closely with local jurisdictions to develop a long-term fix for the roadway.
WSDOT offers a number of ways for people to get up-to-date information:
Call the transportation emergency hotline (509) 577-1635
Sign-up for e-mail updates regarding the SR 410 Nile Valley landslide and closure
View photos of the landslide on SR 410 at Flickr
Watch video taken of the landslide on YouTube
top
Update of projects under way
SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge - Crews continue work on the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge ballasting operations on the draw span pontoons. Work requires closing the bridge to vehicle traffic and drivers can expect 15-30-minute delays when the bridge’s center span is opened. The opening allows contractors from Kiewit-General of Poulsbo to survey the pontoons and adjust the ballast to make certain the east and west draw spans are floating correctly in relation to one another. The operations must be performed at slack tide to minimize the tidal effect, and ensure the draw spans are evenly balanced. Openings are scheduled to correspond with the slack tide: At about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21; about 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22; and about 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
I-405 Renton - WSDOT and contractor crews are building a new lane in each direction on I-405 between I-5 and SR 167 and a new lane on southbound SR 167 between I-405 and SW 41st Street. During the weekend of Oct. 9, crews replaced damaged concrete panels on I-405 allowing WSDOT to stay on track for opening an additional lane in each direction later this fall. The added capacity on I-405 between the I-5 and SR 167 interchanges will mean faster speeds and smoother movements through the area around two of the state’s most congested interchanges. This work on I-405 is part of the $91.5 million, I-405/I-5 to SR 169 Stage 1 - Widening Project.
SR 531 Smokey Point - Crews are wrapping up a project to replace the Cougar Creek culvert under the SR 531 roadway on Oct 12. In September, crews replaced the existing culvert at Cougar Creek with a larger concrete box culvert. WSDOT temporarily repaired the existing culvert after it collapsed last fall. This fall crews removed the damaged culvert, replaced it with a box culvert, and rebuilt the roadway. The new culvert will stabilize the highway and help protect against future storms. It will also improve fish passage on Cougar Creek. The new culvert is 16 feet wide, 10 feet tall and 74 feet long. By comparison, the old pipe culvert was just 30 inches in diameter. The new culvert was designed for the 100-year flood and will be able to carry higher volumes of water - up to 32.5 cubic feet per second.
top
Announcements
WSDOT Ferries Division awards bid to construct additional 64-car ferries
WSDOT's Ferries Division (WSF) announced Oct. 13 that it is awarding a contract to Todd Pacific Shipyards to build two additional 64-car ferries. Todd Shipyards submitted a $114 million bid on Oct. 8 to build two more 64-car ferries. With the contract award, Todd will begin constructing the second and third ferries in this new class of vessels. WSF awarded a contract to Todd to construct the first 64-car ferry in December 2008. That vessel is under construction and scheduled to go into service on the Port Townsend/Keystone route in late-summer 2010.
The timeline for vessel construction is approximately 20 months each for the second and third vessels. WSF must exercise the option to construct the third vessel in the contract, the fourth overall, no later than May 31, 2011. The fourth vessel would be either a 64-car ferry or 144-car ferry depending on the availability of funds.
These additional 64-car ferries will be similar in design to the one currently under construction with capacity for up to 750 passengers. The next steps include a signed contract and contract security returned from Todd Shipyards. Once those documents are received, the state will issue a notice to proceed with construction.
Keller Ferry out of service for repairs
The Keller Ferry service across the Columbia River on SR 21 was suspended Oct. 8 until further notice. During a routine inspection and subsequent repair work, a pinhole leak was discovered on the hull of the Martha S. The tiny leak was below the waterline and water was dripping into the hull interior. The U.S. Coast Guard has removed the vessel from passenger service until repairs are completed and approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. There is no estimate on how long repairs may take or when the boat will be returned to service. Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes across the Columbia River. The nearest crossings are at Grand Coulee Dam on SR 155 or the Gifford/Inchelium Ferry to State Route 25 north of Davenport. The Martha S. began service on the Columbia River in September 1949.
top
October open houses, meetings and events
20 & 21, 8:30 - 5 p.m, regular meeting, Washington State Transportation Commission, Olympia - The Washington State Transportation Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 20-21 in Olympia. The two-day meeting will consist of a series of panel discussions, short presentations including an update of the September 2009 Transportation Revenue Forecast, and scheduled action to name an overpass on I-405 after a worker killed in an adjacent roadway work zone and the naming the new ferry serving the Port Townsend-Keystone route. Location: Transportation Building, Commission Board room, 310 Maple Park Ave. SE, Olympia.
22, 11 a.m. to noon, Ribbon-cutting, SR 17/SR 282 Moses Lake to Ephrata Paving - Moses Lake: WSDOT will host a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate completion of a project that resurfaced eight miles of SR 17 from the Grant County Airport in Moses Lake to the junction with SR 282, and from there, five miles of SR 282 to the junction with SR 28 in Ephrata. Construction crews also built more than four miles of passing lanes as part of this project. Location: SR 17 at McConighe Road, one miles west of Moses Lake.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Express Lane Archive
top