Date:  Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Contact: Amir Ahmadi, WSDOT Project Engineer, 425-225-8700 (Everett
Aurora Jones, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4470 (Seattle)

Improvements will extend the life of the highway

MARYSVILLE – Today, WSDOT and contractor Granite Northwest crews finished a $1.4 million project to repave half a mile of State Route 528 (4th Street) in Marysville and replace a water main beneath the roadway.

“We’re pleased to complete this project in just four months,” says Project Engineer Amir Ahmadi. “Construction went smoothly, allowing us to complete work early and on budget.”

Over the summer, crews disconnected an old water main beneath the eastbound lanes of SR 528, installed a new water main, paved and striped half a mile of the highway from I-5 to SR 529 (State Street), and updated 18 sidewalk ramps. Crews also excavated and rebuilt over a foot and a half of the roadbed from I-5 to Cedar Street to eliminate deep cracks in the concrete.

“If we had simply repaved this section of highway without rebuilding the damaged portions of the roadbed, cracks and potholes would have reappeared very quickly in the new asphalt,” says Ahmadi. “Taking the extra step to rebuild the road is an investment that will extend the life of the highway overall.”

Replacing a water main for the city of Marysville is also an investment in preserving the highway’s infrastructure for drivers, nearby businesses and homes. The old water main, which runs beneath the eastbound lanes of SR 528, was settling and at risk to crack and leak. Replacing the water main reduces the risk of damage to the roadway that would have occurred if the old water main had cracked beneath the highway.

This $1.4 million project was originally scheduled to finish in late 2008. For more information, visit the project Web site at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR528/I5ToSR529Paving/

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