Date:  Thursday, June 04, 2009

Contact: Dianna Lahmann, WSDOT Communications, 360-709-8169
Gordon Roycroft, Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Deputy Director, 360-709-8130

TACOMA – The Washington State Department of Transportation announced the advertisement this week to contractors a $90 million project that adds HOV lanes on I-5 in Pierce County. The I-5, Port of Tacoma Road to King County Line HOV project, includes $47 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds earmarked for construction, which is expected to support approximately 285 jobs.

The construction contract is scheduled to be awarded in early July, with construction expected to begin in early August.

“Extending the HOV system into Pierce County is one of the department’s top highway priorities,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. “This project is one of several that give motorists HOV lanes in Pierce County on I-5 and across the Nalley Valley. The federal stimulus funds are critical for funding construction and helping support the hundreds of jobs that will be created or sustained.”

The project will take two years to build. It extends the I-5 HOV system by more than three miles by widening the freeway in the median. The widening accommodates one northbound and one southbound HOV lane between the King County line and Port of Tacoma Road.

In addition to building HOV lanes, the project improves stormwater treatment systems and installs driver information systems such as closed-circuit TV cameras, electronic signs, highway advisory radio, and traffic data collectors.

The I-5: Port of Tacoma Road to King County Line HOV project is part of the Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program, which is a series of projects to build 70 HOV lane miles in Pierce County. Overall, the Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program has been allocated $70 million in ARRA funds. More information about the program can be found at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/piercecountyhov/.

Washington State is administering the Recovery Act investments with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Gov. Gregoire has created a new website, http://www.recovery.wa.gov/, enabling every Washingtonian to see where their tax dollars are going and hold government accountable for the results. On the federal level, President Obama has appointed Vice President Biden, a proven and aggressive Inspector General, to oversee all state’s recovery efforts and root out waste and fraud. This combined oversight will ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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