Saturday, August 23, 2008

WSDOT Construction Updates for Whatcom/Skagit County

I-5: Peace Arch Port of Entry ReconstructionBill Lesh, General Service Administration, Public Affairs Manager, 503-326-2306Mike Nuernberger, General Service Administration, Project Manager, 253-931-7306Crews are replacing the 31-year-old Peace Arch Port of Entry. The current port is not big enough to handle all the cars that use it on a daily basis and does not meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Crews also will rebuild a bridge and sections of the interstate both north and south of the station.

SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC REVISION - All southbound traffic is being directed off the freeway at the D Street Exit 276 to Blaine as they leave the border station. From there, travelers can cross D Street and return to the freeway southbound or they can proceed south on SR 548 through Blaine on Peace Portal Drive and re-enter the freeway, south of the City (I-5 Exit 274.)

NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC REVISION: Northbound traffic is being routed to the west, using the southbound lanes through the east side of the U.S. border station. There is no access to northbound I-5 from D Street (exit 276). Instead, northbound drivers are being detoured east on D Street to SR 543 and then north to the Pacific Highway crossing to Canada.

8 a.m. 8/22SR 544: Pole/Hannegan signalization project (Whatcom County)Milepost 1.97Whatcom County will install a new traffic signal at the intersection of Hannegan and Pole roads.

Lane closure Aug. 22-29: Crews will close one lane from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. as crews relocate utilities. Flaggers will direct traffic through the intersection. Delays are expected.
8 a.m. 8/22SR 9: Wetland mitigation for Horton Road to SR 546 #7492Milepost 75.22 and 77.37Crews will be accesing wetland mitigation sites off SR 9 and off Potter Road.
No construction delays the week of Aug. 25.


8 a.m. 8/22SR 11: City of Bellingham sewer extensionMilepost 18.85 (north of Samish Lake Road)Crews will be extending a city sewer line.

Daytime lane closures: Crews will close lanes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 25-29 to construct the new sewer line. Flaggers will alternate traffic through the work zone. Delays are expected.
10 a.m. 8/22Skagit/Whatcom Roadside Safety ImprovementsCrews will install guardrail, remove fixed objects and improve roadsides to reduce collisions and improve safety along SR 9, SR 11, SR 20, SR 542 and SR 547. Funding for this project is provided by the 2005 Transportation Partnership Funding Package.

SR 9: LANE CLOSURE 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 25-28. Crews will close one lane between mileposts 63-65 to place gravel.

SR 11: No work the week of Aug. 25.

SR 20: No work the week of Aug. 25.

SR 542: No work the week of Aug. 25.

SR 547: No work the week of Aug. 25.

9 a.m. 8/22Thunder Creek and Coal Creek bridge scourMilepost 63.5 (SR 9); Milepost 69.9 (SR 20)Dave Crisman, Project Engineer, 360-428-1593Crews will do bridge scour work on the Thunder Creek bridge on SR 9 just north of the Prairie Road intersection, and on the Coal Creek bridge on SR 20, just east of Sedro Woolley.

Aug. 25-29: Crews will be working off the roadway at Thunder Creek. Trucks will be entering and leaving the work areas.

9 a.m., 8/22SR 20: Sidney Street to Scenic Heights, #7232Mileposts: 27.32 to 31.03 Dave Crisman, Project Engineer, 360-428-1593 To reduce the risk of collisions on SR 20, we straightened sharp corners, leveled hills, widened lanes and shoulders, removed trees and moved utility poles. Construction started in April 2007.

Aug. 25-26: Crews will place topsoil on road shoulders and pave driveways. Minor delays are expected. This work is weather dependent.
Sign up for Highway 20 e-mail updates.

10 a.m., 8/22SR 20: Quiet Cove Road to SR 20 Spur, Stage 1, #7358Milepost: 44.65 to 45.05Dave Crisman, Project Engineer, 360-428-1593We will widen and realign State Route 20 from Meadow Creek to South Lake Campbell Road. We also will close an intersection, add a turn lane and build a new bridge. Changes along this section of highway should reduce crashes and improve traffic flow south of Anacortes.

Crews restripe the roadway and install fencing. This work should have a minimal impact on traffic.

Driver Alert: The speed limit through this work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. Please slow down and use caution when driving throughout this work zone. A bicycle route is in place. Please follow signs.

10 a.m., 8/22SR 20: Quiet Cove Road to SR 20 Spur, Stage 2, #7532 Milepost: 45.05 to 47.87 Dave Crisman, Project Engineer, 360-428-1593 We will widen and realign State Route 20 between South Lake Campbell Road and the Miller/Gibraltar Road intersection. We will also add turn lanes and make other intrsection improvements. Changes along this section of highway should reduce crashes and improve traffic flow south of Anacortes.

Lane closure 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25, to 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26: Crews will close the eastbound lane between S. Lake Campbell Road and Miller/Gibralter roads to remove trees. Flaggers will direct traffic through the area. Delays are expected.
Expect to see crews working along the shoulders during the day to do clearing work, slope stabilization, waterline installation and pond construction in the southern area of the project. This work is off the road and should not impact traffic.

9 a.m. 8/22SR 20: Fredonia to I-5 Widening - Stage 2, #7484Mileposts: 55.05 to 59.85Dave Crisman, Project Engineer, 360-428-1593We will widen SR 20 to four lanes to improve safety and reduce congestion. The second stage of this project involves widening lanes from Higgins Airport Way to the I-5 interchange, realigning the Pulver Road intersection, and building new, elevated southbound I-5 ramps.

I-5 LANE CLOSURE: 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Aug. 24-26. On Sunday, Aug. 24, Crews will close the right lane of southbound I-5 near the SR 20 interchange to add concrete barrier. On Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 25-26, crews will close the right lane of northbound I-5 to restripe the road and add concrete barrier. Delays are expected.

Pile driving near the I-5/SR 20 interchange is expected to begin Monday, Aug. 25 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Crews will be continue building the new Higgins Slough bridge. This work is off the road and should not impact traffic.

Crews will build sidewalks on SR 20 underneath the I-5 overpass.

9 a.m., 8/22SR 525: Clinton ferry to Bob Galbreath Road pavingMileposts: 8.48-9.06Dave Crisman, Project Engineer, 360-428-1593Crews are repaving SR 525 between the Clinton Ferry terminal and Bob Galbreath Road. Sidewalks, guardrails, lane markings and signs will be upgraded to improve driver and pedestrian safety.

No work scheduled the week of Aug. 25.

8 a.m., 8/22SR 539: Ten Mile Road to SR 546 Widening #7469Milepost 5.65-10.45Chris Damitio, Project Engineer, 360-788-7400We will widen the highway from two lanes to four lanes and add roundabouts at four key intersections. We will build a new bridge over the Nooksack river and replace or upgrade four other bridges. Widening the highway will relieve congestion and improve traffic flow.

SINGLE LANE CLOSURE: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Aug. 25-29. Crews will close one lane between Bartlett and Wiser Lake roads to install drainage crossings and repair the road near bridges.
Expect heavy truck traffic near the Nooksack River bridge, which could create minor delays.
Crews will be working from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thrrough Friday north and south of the Nooksack River bridge on the west side of SR 539, about 1.5 miles south of Lynden. Crews will be constructing girder supports and driving pilings for several new bridges. This work will be off the road and should not impact traffic.

8 a.m., 8/22SR 539: Horton Road to Ten Mile Road Widening, #7273 Milepost: 1.69 to 6.01Chris Damitio, Project Engineer, 360-788-7400 We will widen the highway from two lanes to four lanes and add a turn lane on Guide Meridian north of Bellingham. Widening the highway will relieve congestion and improve traffic flow.

8:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. - Crews will close one lane at night to complete drainage crossings.

6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.- Crews will close shoulders to install drainage and widen lanes.

DRIVER ALERT: Final paving will begin the week of Sept. 8. Drivers will have limited access to residences and businesses as the asphalt is cooling.

Crews have shifted traffic to narrow lanes to the west at the north end of the project area to allow room for work on the east half of the Four Mile Creek and Ten Mile Creek bridges, scheduled to finish this summer.

Drivers should use caution through the work zone.
Sign up for Whatcom County e-mail updates.

8 a.m., 8/22SR 542: Boulder Creek Bridge Replacement, #7342Milepost: 28.34Chris Damitio, Project Engineer, 360-788-7400We will replace the 55-year-old Boulder Creek Bridge on the Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) with a higher, wider bridge. The new bridge will reduce flooding problems that close the bridge nearly every year, and it will improve fish habitat. The design includes a bike lane that will be separated from traffic by a barrier.

Crews hope to complete paving this week. Traffic could be using both lanes of the bridge by early September.

Traffic is driving on the eastbound lane of the new bridge. A one-way, one-lane road is in effect across the bridge and is controlled by a temporary signal.

The old bridge is demolished.
Sign up for Whatcom County e-mail updates.

8 a.m., 8/22Where will striping crews be working?Steve Wehmeyer, Maintenance Supervisor, 206-768-5882Striping season lasts from April 16 until October 31. Crews will restripe more than 4,500 miles of highways around Puget Sound between the King/Pierce county line and the U.S./Canadian border. View the monthly striping schedule.

We expect crews to be striping the area this week. Crews will stripe parts of Island and Skagit counties beginning Aug. 1 and ending Aug. 29. Crews will stripe the following roads:I-5, SR 9, SR 20, SR 525, SR 530, SR 531, SR 532, SR 534, SR 536 and SR 538 .

Special Events
No special events scheduled.

No comments:

Post a Comment