Date:  Monday, March 29, 2010

Contact: Brian White, Assistant Region Administrator, (509) 577-1700
Amanda Sullivan, WSDOT Communications, (509) 899-5708

YAKIMA – WSDOT will begin building approximately $130 million in projects this spring and summer on I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass. These multi-season preservation projects funded by the 2005 Transportation Partnership Account (TPA) and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are moving us closer to completing much-needed upgrades to our state’s most important east-west transportation corridor.

The lane restrictions associated with the construction projects will affect travel for thousands of freight trucks and passenger vehicles using this vital cross-state route on a daily basis. WSDOT encourages the public to attend our I-90 construction open houses where WSDOT staff will answer questions about closures and lanes restrictions, as well as provide helpful tools to use when planning trips over the pass.

Please join us at any of the following three open houses:

Wednesday, March 31, 2010
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Summit Lodge
Summit 1 & 2
603 State Route 906
Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068

Thursday, April 1, 2010
3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Easton Community School
Multi-Purpose Room
1893 Railroad Street
Easton, WA 98925

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cle Elum Roslyn Elementary
Multi-Purpose Room
2696 State Route 903
Cle Elum, WA 98922

The open houses will focus on four construction projects:

•  I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East – Hyak to Keechelus Dam project - a $77 million, TPA-funded project that adds lanes, stabilizes slopes, rebuilds bridges, extends chain up / off areas, and improves ecological connectivity from Hyak (milepost 55.1) to the snowshed vicinity (milepost 58.1). This project improves the safety and reliability of the first three miles of a funded five-mile project corridor.
• I-90 Keechelus Dam to Cabin Creek paving project – a $4.0 million (estimated) hot mix asphalt paving project that rehabilitates the deteriorating concrete of westbound I-90 from Keechelus Dam (60.2) to Cabin Creek (milepost 64.2). This project preserves the existing concrete pavement and creates a smoother, safer driving surface.
• I-90 Lake Easton to Bullfrog westbound concrete replacement project – an $18.4 million ARRA-funded project replaces deteriorating concrete pavement of the right-hand land of westbound I-90 from Easton (milepost 70) to Cle Elum (milepost 80). This project rehabilitates the concrete pavement and creates a smoother, safer driving surface.
• I-90 Lake Easton to Big Creek Bridge eastbound concrete replacement project – a $23 million (estimated) ARRA-funded project that replaces deteriorating concrete pavement on eastbound I-90 from Easton (milepost 70) to Cle Elum area (milepost 79.4). This project rehabilitates the concrete pavement and creates a smoother, safer driving surface.

For the latest information on construction activities, visit our What’s Happening on I-90 Web page.

Washington state is administering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. Gov. Gregoire created a Web site, www.recovery.wa.gov/, so every Washingtonian can see where tax dollars are going and hold government accountable for the results. On the federal level, President Obama has appointed Vice President Biden to oversee all states’ recovery efforts and to root out waste and fraud. This combined oversight will ensure taxpayer dollars are put to good use and recharge the economy.

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