Travelers should expect reduced speed limits through work zones
VANCOUVER – People embarking on end-of-summer road trips throughout southwest Washington will need to plan ahead as work to improve the surface of several bridges starts next week.
On Monday, Aug. 8, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s contractor, Granite Construction, will begin work to remove asphalt bridge deck patches along several bridges and replace them with cement. This work will extend the useful life of the bridges and smooth the bridge deck surfaces, which will keep traffic moving until future bridge deck rehabilitation projects can fully address each bridge structure’s individual needs.
What can travelers expect
Once construction begins, travelers should expect around-the-clock single lane closures and temporary speed limit reductions of 25 mph along several outlying bridges and within the work zones. When flaggers or portable temporary traffic control signals are on site travelers may experience delays of up to 20 minutes.
Additionally, crews will have an around-the-clock single lane closure in place along both directions of the Interstate 5 Cowlitz River Bridges and a temporary speed limit reduction from 70 mph to 55 mph through the work zone. Extended single lane closures may be necessary and will occur from 8 p.m. Mondays through 10 a.m., Fridays, and will result in major traffic delays. Nighttime single lane closures may occur when extended closures are not in use.
The following bridges will be affected by this project:
Benton County
- State Route 14 Glade Creek Bridge between Mainline Road and Glade Creek
Cowlitz County
- SR 503 Jim Creek Bridge between Timber Cattle Pass and Jim Creek
Klickitat County
- US 97 Swale Creek Bridge between Centerville Road and Swale Creek
- US 97 Kusshi Creek Bridge between BIA Rd 284 (Wilson Charlie) and Tomith Rd
- SR 14 Alder Creek Bridge between Alderdale Boat Launch Road and Alder Creek
Lewis County
- I-5 Cowlitz River Bridge near milepost 59, just south of Rogers Road in north Cowlitz County
- US 12 Purcell Creek Bridge near milepost 137, about seven miles east of Packwood
Pacific County
- SR 401 Naselle River Overflow Bridge at milepost 11.59 near Naselle Road
Work on this $3.8 million project will continue through the summer and is scheduled for completion this fall.