| 
Welcome to our August 2014 newsletter. This month we talk about some major construction around Spokane International Airport, our bridge repair crew, wildfire assistance, the Keller Ferry, and our annual count of non-motorized traffic. We also share one of our recent thank you letters. As always, if you have any questions on items in this newsletter, or other transportation issues, please let me know. Give me a call at (509) 324-6010 or drop me an e-mail at: metcalk@wsdot.wa.gov . Keith Metcalf
Regional Administrator
WSDOT Eastern Region ========================== Airport Interchange and access road construction schedule will affect drivers and airline customers Upcoming construction in the vicinity of Spokane International Airport will affect drivers accessing that busy area. Over the next 10 days there will be a series of on and off ramp closures to allow the contractor time to grind out old pavement and place a new asphalt surface. The full closures are limited to single-lane ramp sections where the roadway will be blocked during the work. The most intense work will be scheduled during hours when traffic counts are lowest. During the following days and hours, single-lane segments of on and off ramps leading to and from Spokane International Airport on US 2 and Sunset Hwy. will be fully closed for construction. Signed detours will direct drivers to and from Spokane International Airport. Drivers should expect slow traffic, congestion, and delays on the detour routes. Motorists are urged to allow plenty of extra time to reach their destinations during these periods to avoid missing flight connections. Letters in parentheses correspond to ramp location on diagram at this website.
Monday evening, August 25, into Tuesday morning, August 26
9 p.m. until as late as 5 a.m.
(B)-Westbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Sunset Hwy.—Closed for grinding
(A)-Westbound Sunset Hwy. to Westbound US 2 on-ramp—Closed for grinding
(G)-Eastbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Airport Dr. (to the airport) or Eastbound Sunset Hwy.—Closed for grinding
Tuesday evening, August 26, into Wednesday morning, August 27
9 p.m. until as late as 5 a.m.
(E)-Eastbound Airport Drive off-ramp to Eastbound Sunset Hwy. (to Spokane)—Closed for grinding
(G)-Eastbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Airport Dr. (to the airport) or Eastbound Sunset Hwy. will also be closed due to (E) closure
(F)-Westbound Sunset Hwy. to Westbound Airport Dr. on-ramp (to the airport)—Closed for grinding
Wednesday evening, August 27 into Thursday morning, August 28
9 p.m. until as late as 5 a.m.
(A)-Westbound Sunset Blvd. to westbound US 2 on-ramp—Closed for paving
(G)-Eastbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Airport Dr. (to the airport) or Eastbound Sunset Hwy.—Closed for paving
(F)-Westbound Sunset Hwy. to Westbound Airport Dr. on-ramp (to the airport)—Closed for paving Midnight until as late as 3:30 a.m.
(C)-Westbound off-ramp from US 2 (& I 90 Spokane) to Westbound Airport Dr. (to the airport)—Closed for grinding
(B)-Westbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Sunset Hwy. will also be closed due to (C) closure 7 p.m. until as late as 4 a.m.
(B)-Westbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Sunset Hwy.—Closed for paving
Thursday evening, August 28 into Friday morning, August 29
9 p.m. until as late as 5 a.m.
(E)-Eastbound Airport Drive off-ramp to Eastbound Sunset Hwy. (to Spokane)—Closed for paving
(G)-Eastbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Airport Dr. (to the airport) or Eastbound Sunset Hwy. will also be closed due to (E) closure Midnight until as late as 3:30 a.m.
(C)-Westbound off-ramp from US 2 (& I 90 Spokane) to Westbound Airport Dr. (to the airport)—Closed for paving
(B)-Westbound US 2 off-ramp to Westbound Sunset Hwy. will also be closed due to (C) closure Midnight until as late as 5 a.m.
(D)-Eastbound Airport Drive (from the airport) to US 2 (& I 90 Spokane)—Closed for grinding Tuesday evening, September 3 into Wednesday morning, September 4 Midnight until as late 5 a.m.
(D)-Eastbound Airport Drive (from the airport) to US 2 (& I 90 Spokane)—Closed for paving
As always, the schedule may need to be adjusted depending on weather or unforeseen equipment issues. Any changes will be posted on the project website and accessed by clicking the Airport Interchange Construction Schedule link.
There will be no work from 5 a.m. Friday, August 29 until 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 2.
In addition to the full closures listed above, beginning on Wednesday, August 27 through September 4 (except during the holiday weekend), between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. grinding and paving operations will be scheduled for ramp segments with multiple lanes. The affected ramps will remain open with traffic reduced to one lane during this work. Drivers should expect lane restrictions, slower traffic, and congestion on these multi-lane ramp and freeway sections in the vicinity of the airport between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Motorists are encouraged to allow extra time to reach their destinations during these hours, to avoid missing flight connections. = = = = = = =
Region bridge crew works to keep structures open and safe The Eastern Region Bridge Crew is comprised of five employees who are responsible for the maintenance and operations of 438 structures including 311 bridge decks in Eastern Washington. The crew's range includes all state highway structures in Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Adams, Lincoln, and Whitman Counties. The bridge crew is vital to keeping these structures open and safe for the traveling public and freight mobility in Eastern Washington.
A major component of bridge maintenance is deck repair. Bridge decks range from asphalt and concrete surfaces, to specially blended overlay materials. Over time the weather, deicing chemicals and substantial wear from studded tires erode these decks. Many of the bridge decks still have the original driving surfaces from when the bridge was constructed. Others have had an "overlay" material added to the deck to increase the service life. Fifty-six of these bridges were built over 75 years ago with 189 of them in the last 40 to 75 years. As a result, the bridge decks in many cases are well past their service life and some have dramatically deteriorated.
The Eastern Region Bridge Crew uses a variety of materials and techniques to cost effectively maintain these decks. The crew constructed a mobile concrete trailer that can load and carry low cost bulk materials and ready mix them on site. The trailer has the capability to place this material on the deck directly from the mixer. The efficiency of the system saves labor costs and increases production. The ability to use bulk products instead of bagged keeps material costs low. The crew selects the material used based on the deck defect that has occurred and the location of the repair.
There will be no shortage of work for this busy crew into the future. Unfortunately, funding to protect these investments with contracted replacement of these decks is low and continues to dwindle. Only one deck is slated for overlay in the Eastern Region in the next six years. The statewide biennium funding levels for bridge preservation is about $280 million which is only addressing a fraction of the priority issues. That may seem like a lot of money, but the money must maintain all 3,820 structures across the state for two years. Many of these bridges are very large and complicated to operate and maintain. The statewide funding picture worsens in the future; funding is predicted to be cut to a third or around $91 million in the 2015-1017 biennium and then continue to trend in decline to $62 million in 2017-2019, $74 million in 2019-2021, and $51 million in the 2021-2023 biennium.
The work this Spokane-based crew performs will be critical in holding these decks together until a permanent funding and replacement plan can be put in place. Failure of the decks results in much more expensive future repairs, potential load limits and in some cases closures and detours. = = = = = = =
Maintenance crews assist in fire-fighting effort
It seems that mid through late summer is the time for wildfires in Washington state, and this year is no different. Our maintenance crews in the WSDOT Eastern Region are often called in to lend a hand to the firefighting crews, most often by providing traffic control to ensure safety for the traveling public.
So far this summer, our crews have been called into service for fires on SR 231 near Ford, US 395 in Adams County, and most recently on State Route 21 in Ferry County.
The fire in Ferry County is on the Colville Indian Reservation and, as of this writing, has burned over 26,000 acres with 900 firefighters and five aircraft battling the blaze.
WSDOT crews were called in the afternoon of August 5, just after the Colville Tribe closed the highway, to staff the barricades on SR 21 to the north and south of the fire area. Our crews were on site maintaining the full closure for 10 days, then began piloting traffic through the fire zone on Friday, August 15. SR 21 was finally opened to through traffic the morning of Saturday, August 16, with an advisory speed limit of 35 mph and signs noting that emergency vehicles were on the roadway.
= = = = = = =
Sanpoil steering issue interrupts service
A recent steering system glitch interrupted ferry service for a couple days in August.
On Monday, August 11, as the vessel was approaching the south terminal, the steering system would not respond correctly to control inputs from the operator on the bridge. The pilot was able to bring the vessel safely into the terminal and the vehicles and passengers were able to disembark.
Representatives from Rolls Royce, the steering control system manufacturer, arrived on site early the following morning and, after a full inspection of the steering computer controls and mechanism determined that a bolt in the steering system had broken triggering the problem. They were able to replace the bolt and put the vessel through a full series of tests for the rest of the day, under the close eye of the US Coast Guard inspector. The Coast Guard was satisfied with the results and approved the vessel to return to passenger service. Regular trips across the lake resumed at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13.
The work was covered under the manufacturer's warranty. = = = = = = =
Kudos for a paving job We are always pleased when we get an email like this: "BRAVO! Kudos to the management and crew involved in the recent repaving of HIGHWAY 2 (between Bear Lake and Elk, WA). There was virtually ZERO disruption to commute traffic and the results are excellent. Whoever coordinated this project deserves a BONUS, as do all the crew who worked diligently at NIGHT to get the work done without making us wait in long lines of one way traffic during the daytime. I am IMPRESSED! Thank you all very much. The new lines are great too and just waiting for the side WHITE line that is so valuable during Winter driving."
From D.J. = = = = = = = Call for volunteers: Help tally Washington's cyclists and walkers this fall
Preparations underway for 2014 bicycle, pedestrian count Sept. 30–Oct. 2 During a three-day survey last year, volunteers counted nearly 66,000 bicyclists and pedestrians across Washington. As another survey approaches, about 400 volunteers will be called upon again this fall to tally the number of people who ride a bike or walk to their destinations. "As an avid cyclist, I have an appreciation for the many volunteers who help with this annual count," said Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson. "Knowing where people are and how they are using the transportation system helps us measure the results of bike and sidewalk investments and plan for future projects." For the seventh annual survey, WSDOT and the Cascade Bicycle Club are enlisting volunteers and organizations such as Feet First and Washington Bikes to help count the people they see bicycling and walking along paths, bike lanes, sidewalks and other facilities Tuesday, Sept. 30, through Thursday, Oct. 2. Counts will be taken at assigned locations in nearly 40 cities throughout the state. Get involved
WSDOT's count is part of the National Documentation Project, an annual bicycle and pedestrian count and survey effort sponsored by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council. The count will also help measure WSDOT's progress toward its goal of increasing bicycling and walking while reducing the number of vehicle miles driven.
WSDOT and the Cascade Bicycle Club are asking volunteers from across the state to perform the counts in participating cities, including Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Burien, Ellensburg, Everett, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kelso, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Lakewood, Longview, Mercer Island, Milton, Mountlake Terrace, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Orting, Parkland, Puyallup, Redmond, Renton, Richland, Seattle, Shoreline, Spokane, Spokane Valley, Tacoma, Tukwila, University Place, Vancouver, Vashon Island, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Yakima. Those interested in helping can learn more by visiting WSDOT's survey website, emailing the Cascade Bicycle Club or calling 206-861-9890. | This email was sent to guyperea@live.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: WSDOT
310 Maple Park Ave SE · Olympia, WA 98504 |
| | 
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.