Date:  Friday, November 14, 2008

Contact: Bronlea Mishler, WSDOT communications, 360-757-5947
Chris Damitio, WSDOT project engineer, 360-788-7400

BELLINGHAM – Crews will repair and replace cracked and unstable concrete panels on southbound I-5 north of Bellingham next summer. Penhall Company of Rogers, Minn., was awarded the contract on Monday, Nov. 10, to improve the five miles of roadway.

Details are still being finalized, but Penhall could begin construction in spring 2009, as soon as the weather is warm enough to begin repair work. Crews will work mainly at night to install metal dowel bars between unstable concrete panels to stabilize them. Crews will also replace cracked concrete panels in the southbound lanes near the Northwest Avenue exit. This work will require a continuous closure of one lane of southbound I-5 over two weekends. Work is expected to wrap up by August 2009.

The project will increase the life of the roadway by at least 15 years and make it smoother for drivers.

Penhall was awarded the contract after submitting a bid of $2.79 million. The company’s bid was more than $750,000 less than the WSDOT engineer’s estimate of $3.56 million.

For more information, visit the project Web page at www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/I5/Bakerview_NooksackRiverBridge.  

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