Date:  Friday, February 13, 2009

Contact: Dustin Terpening, WSDOT Communications, 360-757-5997 (Burlington)
Janice Marlega, Project Engineer, 360-757-5856 (Burlington)

BELLINGHAM – Crews will repave nearly 17 miles of Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) between Bellingham and Kendall this summer. Work will start in July and finish by fall.

WSDOT recently awarded the paving contract to Granite Northwest of Everett to repave SR 542 from Britton Road to Coal Creek, and a half-mile of SR 9 from SR 542 to Smith Creek.

The $3.56 million contract is expected to create 34 construction-related jobs.

The roadway is wearing out, and repaving it will help preserve and extend its life span.

Crews will use a new-to-WSDOT process called hot in-place paving. This involves a train of equipment that will heat, loosen, remove, mix, lay down and compact the asphalt in one fell swoop. Essentially, this process recycles most of the existing asphalt.

While crews are repaving, they will also update signs and guardrails, repaint lane lines, replace raised pavement markers and install rumble strips.

For more details about the project, visit its Web page www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR542/BrittonToCoalCreek/.  

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