The WSDOT Blog

Did you know we’re closing I-5 near Vancouver, June 7-10?

2013-05-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

By guest blogger Heidi Sause

When Allen Hendy told me our contractor was going to shut down I-5 for a girder setting, I looked at him like he was out of his mind and let loose a dignified: Excuzemewhat?!

Allen is the project manager for the Salmon Creek Interchange project. For nearly three years now, his team and our partners at Clark County Public Works have been overhauling local roads and the I-5/I-205 junction in Salmon Creek. We’re on the last (and most exciting!) phase of construction – building a new interchange at NE 139th Street to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety in the busy area.

But here’s the pinch. We’re setting girders – essentially piecing together the bridge’s backbone – and there are a dozen girders that need to be hoisted into place directly above I-5. The installation process will close I-5 from 11 p.m. Friday June 7, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 10. Here’s a look at the span where we’ll be working:

Unlike many girder settings, this location isn’t level. I-5 is higher than the surrounding ground, which means the cranes essentially have to park downhill – below the launch spot of the girders and far below the installation target on top of the bridge piers. This less-than-ideal setup limits the cranes’ lifting power.

To address this complication, crews will park a third crane on southbound I-5 to assist with a complicated pick-and-switch-and-lift process to install the girders. Imaging a track relay, but with a 165-foot concrete and steel baton, and three cranes instead of runners. It will be one of the most complicated and difficult settings we’ve ever done, and it will take up to three hours to install each girder.

All that to say: the only way to complete this task is with a full closure of I-5. (I get it now, Allen!) We’re working to coordinate detour routes, identify potential “trouble spots” where traffic is more likely to back up and find ways to maintain access for local traffic and emergency vehicles. But no matter what we do, the closure will have a ripple effect on traffic in the entire area and there’s a huge potential for traffic headaches – even nightmares.

Here’s how drivers can help avoid traffic nightmares:

Don’t drive if you don’t have to.
If you have to drive through Clark County during the weekend of June 7-10, then visit our website to figure out if your route will be impacted.
Familiarize yourself with the detour routes. (Pro tip: I-205 is your best friend.)
Expect traffic congestion and plan for delays – give yourself some extra time to reach your destination.
And as always, use the WSDOT tools at your disposal to know before you go! Visit our travel alerts page, call 511 and download the WSDOT app to access real-time traffic info during the closure.

What it takes to reopen Chinook Pass… from the east side

2013-05-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

By guest blogger Summer Derrey

Every year, our avalanche and maintenance crews work to clear the snow from Chinook Pass to reopen this section of State Route 410 for summer travel. It takes the work of crews from both sides of the state. Recently, I traversed the 5,430-foot pass to see for myself how the reopening effort works as crews clear Chinook from the east side.

Step 1. Safety first. Strap on an avalanche beacon, look for signs of potential avalanches like snowballs forming at the top of slopes, listen for the shhhh shhhh sound of snow sliding down the mountain and watch your step.

Step 2. Find the road. This year, it’s buried under 20 feet of snow.

Avalanche specialists knock down loose snow above the highway
Avalanche specialists clear the steep slopes of snow using several methods. Crews ascend to the ridgeline on skis, pushing into the snow intentionally triggering avalanches. They also pack in explosives and set charges. Occasionally, helicopters drop explosives in hard-to-reach areas.

Maintenance crews clear snow on the highway snow
Maintenance crews keep a safe distance behind the avalanche specialists while clearing the highway, using two bulldozers and two snow blowers. The pioneer dozer, led by team veteran Tom Martinson, climbs to the top of the snow pile and methodically carves a path 20 feet above the highway. Using a process called side-casting, Tom rocks the dozer perpendicular along the hill side pushing the snow off the cliffs with the dozer’s blade.

“There is a little less snow this year,” Tom said. “It’s been a piece of cake.”

Tom may have a sweet tooth, but the danger is always bitter sweet. Tom has to keep the snow and his rig level; otherwise, he could slide off the cliff. Meanwhile, Nick Zirkle is in the second dozer and uses a process called spading. He loosens the hard snow and ice with the dozer’s blade, creating a series of heaping piles for the blower to expel off the cliff. Doug Sutton is the veteran snow blower. His blower feeds the snow into the box, launching powder 40 feet in the air then whirling down the steep cliffs. John Rath is in the second blower and he’s like the dish washer, clearing every speck of snow off the highway.

Clearing snow is a slow and methodical process. It’s sort of like peeling layers off an onion one by one. By early May, after weeks of clearing, eastside avalanche crews meet up with the west side Greenwater crew near the top of Chinook Pass.

But the pass is not open yet.

Maintenance crews need to reinstall all the highway signs. The signs are removed each year; otherwise, avalanches would rip the poles out of the ground, pushing the signs to the valley bottom. Crews also monitor weather and avalanche danger. The snow build-up along the rock walls will loosen and topple onto the highway when conditions warm up.

Crews prefer to reopen Chinook once conditions are stable enough to keep it open. That way, drivers don’t get stuck on one side or the other and have to drive all the way around to White Pass on US 12.

Finally, crews unlock the gate and swing it open for six months of recreational travel. When will it open this year? Crews are on schedule to reopen a couple days before Memorial Day weekend, although that could change, depending on weather conditions and safety.

Chinook by-the-numbers
On average, crews clear 5.5 miles east of Chinook Pass using two bulldozers and two snow blowers. Four to six avalanche specialists knock down snow using 1,600 pounds of explosives in a four to six week period. Crews clear a minimum of 602,300 cubic yards of snow from the highway – not including the snow the avalanche specialists knock down from the mountain. It takes approximately 1,280 crew hours to reopen Chinook Pass each year.

May is Bike Month, why not give pedaling a try?

2013-04-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

By guest blogger Ann Briggs

Bicyclists enjoying a ride on one of Washington’s
many bike paths

Is your bicycle sitting in a corner of the garage gathering dust? Have you considered skipping the traffic jams and pedaling to your destination instead? What would it take for you to give up your four wheels for just one day and give two wheeling a try?

Governor Inslee has proclaimed May as Bike Month in Washington and May 13 to 17 is National “Bike to Work Week,” culminating in “Bike to Work Day” on Friday, May 17. So here’s an open challenge to you: Pump up the tires, check the chain, dig out your helmet and safety gear, plan your route and give those wheels a spin!

A bicyclist and vanpooler

“Why?” you ask. How about, you’ll get some great exercise and can skip the gym tonight. Or, you won’t have to pay for gas and parking today. And, you’ll be doing something good for your community by not burning fuel and taking one more car off the road.

Trying something new can be scary at first, so we asked some of our regular bicycle commuters for advice on getting started and to share their experience. Here are their tips and stories:

Mike, a Web applications developer, has been a bicycle commuter for 16 years. He rides six miles to work nearly every day during the summer and travels by bike about half of the year overall. His tip: “Research your route. Find routes with good lighting and fewer vehicles and look for trails or shortcuts that are inaccessible by car. Exploring is half the fun.” Mike also recommends that you find a bicycle that fits and is comfortable to ride. “It’s much easier to stay consistent and enjoy the commute on a bicycle that fits you properly.” On Mike’s essential equipment list are helmet, patch kit, bicycle pump and side-view mirror, which he notes is especially useful on narrow roads with little or no shoulder to ride on.

Jenna, a construction analyst, has a goal to commute the 11 miles to work, twice a week, from May through October. She advises, “Keep it fun when you’re starting out. You don’t have to bike to work every day, just do it when you feel the urge.” On her essentials list are waterproof shoes, fenders and rain suit, along with a watertight container for rainy weather. “Everything that isn’t covered in a waterproof container will be wet – your change of clothes, wallet and other personal items that are along for the ride.” Trust her on this one – she speaks from experience.

Bicyclist utilizing Sound Transit

A relatively new bicycle commuter and tribal liaison, Megan, grew up in Bothell along the Burke Gilman trail. “I hadn’t ridden a bike in years, but starting up made me feel like a kid again!” She bikes the two miles to work two to three times a week between spring and fall. Her advice is to pack up your things the night before so that in the morning you can get on your bike and go. She also leaves an extra pair of shoes at work so she doesn’t have to haul them back and forth. Making sure there are no surprises is important to her. “Try out your route on a weekend, when there’s no pressure to get to or from work. That way, you’ll know what to expect and you can make adjustments as needed.”

Anna, a transportation planning specialist, started commuting the five miles to work for the exercise and to use her birthday gift – a “beautiful bicycle.” She explained, “I really love how stimulating it is – the physical movement, the smells, the feeling of a misty morning, the quietness when you’re riding on a path at 7 in the morning – and I love the feeling of accomplishment when I arrive at work under my own power!” On her essentials list are a U-shaped bike lock (her cable lock was cut and her original bike stolen); strong, bright bike lights; biking gloves and a waterproof biking jacket. Her advice: “Ride as if you are invisible and obey all the rules of the road. Don’t assume drivers see you until you see them respond to your presence – make eye contact.”

Long-time cyclist, Streator, an administrative risk manager, has been pedaling to work for about 14 years. For him, bicycling the 2.5 miles to work is an everyday occurrence. “It just seems to be the right thing to do – for my health, for my pocketbook, for the environment.” His advice: “Just do it!”

So give bicycling to work a try. Let us know how it worked for you.

What we know now...and didn’t know then – an evolution of environmental awareness

2013-04-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

By guest blogger Ann Briggs

Kelsey Creek, I-405 wetland, 2008

Recent talk about budgets and the effect environmental regulations have on transportation costs have people asking why we spend money on environmental studies, wetlands and things of that sort.

It has me thinking about my own views on the environment and how they have evolved. As a child of the 60s, I remember riding in my parents' car, tossing candy wrappers out the window (sigh!) and my dad dumping the car ashtray on the ground, scattering butts everywhere. We just didn’t give much thought back then about where this stuff ends up…as if it would simply disappear into the wind. We certainly know better now.

Thanks to better science and practices, an environmental awareness and evolution has taken place over the years in the world of transportation too. Much of what we do today to protect the environment and mitigate for the impacts of highway construction is based on lessons learned and a greater understanding of the effects the transportation system has on our surroundings. A significant amount of money is spent fixing the problems that were created in decades past.

Gold Creek side channel I-90, 2009

Environmental missteps, like those tossed candy wrappers, can pile up if we keep repeating them. We used to build roadways with drainage systems that funneled highway runoff directly into lakes and streams. Wetlands were soggy ponds that got in the way of progress, so we drained them. We built culverts to let the water through, but didn’t think about how fish would manage. We built highways in places that made good engineering sense, but not necessarily good community sense.

We now build highways with stormwater management systems to filter out oil and fluids from drippy cars before it enters our streams. We know now that wetlands are critical for reducing flooding, recharging groundwater supplies and providing habitat. Between 1988 and now, we’ve built and monitored 194 wetlands covering 942 acres. Since 1991, we’ve been replacing culverts that block fish and have restored fish passage to more than 900 miles of habitat. We conduct environmental studies to determine how our work will affect communities, cultures, habitats, air, water and noise, and find ways to avoid or mitigate for those impacts. And, we work hard to report the results of those studies in easy-to-read-and-understand formats.

SR 167 Panther Creek fish passage
culvert installation, 2012

While it’s true that none of this work comes cheap, we have to ask ourselves, “Can we really afford the ultimate price of not doing it?” I think not. We’ve made good strides in environmental stewardship, but we’re far from done and we’ll continue to work to create a transportation system that is compatible with communities and nature. We all have a responsibility to future generations to take care of the things that make the Pacific Northwest such a rich and vibrant place to live. It’s the right thing to do.

As we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, think about what you know now that you didn’t know then. What changes have you made as a result of your own environmental evolution?

Take the surprise out of your trip east of Snoqualmie Pass; know before you go

2013-03-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

By guest blogger Meagan McFadden

Drivers traveling on I-90 this summer need to know
before they go to avoid construction-related delays.

Several major road improvement projects will delay you if you drive over I-90 this year as we improve sections of roadway across a 50-mile stretch.

Crews are scheduled to start work again in mid-April on a dozen projects that add lanes, build bridges, repave bridge decks and repair cracked sections of pavement.

Construction at several locations east of Snoqualmie Pass will require single-lane closures and rolling slowdowns this summer, which will add to travel time. During construction, drivers need to add at least an hour to their east-west trips, especially if trying to catch a flight or make a time-sensitive appointment.

It’s going to be a very busy construction season on I-90 and when we say, ‘plan ahead’, we mean it. We’re letting you know now, so you can take the surprise out of your trip and plan accordingly.

We have a wide variety of resources to help drivers take the surprise out of their trips across I-90 this year. Drivers can find information on multiple websites, including the What’s Happening on I-90, Snoqualmie Mountain Pass and Traffic Alerts pages. Drivers can also follow us on Twitter @snoqualmiepass and @wsdot_passes or sign up for email updates. While on the road, drivers can use our travel time signs to find out how long it will take them to get to their destination.

In mid-April, crews resume work on a $551 million project that builds a wider, safer and more reliable stretch of I-90 from Hyak to Keechelus Dam. Later this spring, crews on this 5-mile-long project will resume blasting along the rock slopes east of Snoqualmie Pass. Drivers need to plan for hour-long closures, Mondays through Thursdays, starting an hour before sunset. Due to the nature of blasting operations this year, some closures may last longer than an hour.

In late April, crews will begin deck repair on five bridges along I-90 between Easton and Ellensburg. Crews will remove a thin layer of the existing bridge deck, repair damaged concrete, reinforce the deck with steel and repave with asphalt. Crews will also begin repaving deteriorating pavement in both directions west of Easton Hill. Drivers could experience delays of up to 15 minutes Monday through Friday through the work zone.

WSDOT gives Tacoma Teen second best day of his life

2013-03-26T13:32:00.001-07:00

By guest blogger Kelly Stowe

Back in April 2008, WSDOT staff found a friend in Drake Thomas. Drake, who is autistic, was 10 years old, and fascinated by the WSDOT traffic cameras and soothing background music that played during TV Tacoma 12’s “Traffic Watch program.” The program flashed live images of WSDOT traffic cameras focused on I-5, SR 16 and SR 512.

Drake would watch the show daily, memorizing the order in which the camera images were shown. If something was off or a camera image was out, he would ask his parents to call TV Tacoma or WSDOT. He even built his own highway system at home by making traffic cameras with toothpicks, straws, and clay. When WSDOT heard about Drake’s passion for traffic cameras, he was invited to check out the Olympic Region Traffic Management Center in Parkland where he could meet the people who controlled the cameras he watched each morning on Channel 12.

On the day of his visit, Drake got a lesson about all the inter-workings of the TMC by Rich Langlois, Traffic Safety Systems Operator, and was even allowed to operate the cameras where he adjusted the angles and zoomed in and out. KOMO TV also came along for his visit. (See the KOMO segment of Drake’s visit here.)

Drake was in camera-loving heaven and proclaimed the day, “The most special day of my life.”

So almost five years later when WSDOT staff asked if Drake was interested in a return visit, he jumped at the chance. It was almost as time had stood still when Drake entered the TMC, except of course the seemingly 10 feet the now 15-year-old had grown.

Drake walked in and his old friend, Rich Langlois, was right there waiting to put him to work. Drake sat down at a computer that is used to move the cameras – and that’s when a call came in over the Washington State Patrol scanner which is monitored by TMC staff, that there was a disabled car blocking a lane on eastbound SR 512 at I-5. Rich said to Drake, “Well, you better find it.”

As if he had been working at the TMC for the past five years, Drake expertly found the right camera and moved it around until the disabled vehicle was in sight.

Drake spent the next two hours moving the cameras and talking to Rich about how he likes high school, enjoys being a part of the NAVY ROTC, and what he needs to do so he can work at the TMC when he graduates.

Rich’s explanation on what Drake needed to one day become a TMC employee was pretty cut and dry, “Stay in school and don’t do drugs.”

Drake’s mom, Janice, and dad, Bob, both accompanied him on his visit. His mom explained that when Drake arrived that day at the TMC he announced, “Today is the second best day of my life!”

Don't let I-5 closures detour your weekend plans

2013-03-25T11:25:00.001-07:00

by guest blogger Mike Allende

Do you remember when we said some big weekend closures were coming up? Well, “coming up” is here, and the best thing drivers can do is be informed and plan ahead. Hopefully this will help.

What’s Closed?

On consecutive weekends – March 29-April 1 and April 5-8 – drivers will see significant lane closures on northbound Interstate 5 near South Albro Place to the West Seattle Bridge/I-5 interchange. From 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, three out of five lanes will be closed around the clock, leaving two lanes open. From midnight to 4 a.m. Friday and Sunday nights, an additional fourth lane will close, leaving one lane open. That’s a big closure, and we need some big help! We’ll get into specifics below, but overall, we need at least 60 percent of drivers who normally use northbound I-5 to take alternate routes or be prepared to face long delays. Can you be in that 60 percent?

The closure covers about a quarter of a mile just south of downtown Seattle. The stretch was constructed in 1965 but 50 years of traffic has weakened the steel expansion joints that connect the concrete spans that make up I-5 as it curves through the industrial area.

Critical Safety Work

Crews working for WSDOT repairing an expansion joint as part of the I-5 Spokane Street Interchange Project

Yes, we know the first closure comes during Easter. But this is critical safety work that is part of the Spokane Street Interchange Special Bridge Repair project and it simply has to get done. Without this work, the risk for serious collisions will continue to grow. With so much going on in Seattle, there are no “good” weekends for this kind of closure, so we do everything we can to make it as painless as possible.

Keeping Traffic Moving?

Additional WSDOT Incident Response Team members will help clear blocking vehicles during the weekend closures.

We’ve worked closely with existing projects to coordinate work. We’ll have crews in the field monitoring traffic and the construction work and making adjustments as needed. Extra Incident Response Team trucks will be available to quickly clear any disabled vehicles to keep traffic moving. Travel times, alternate route options and any other updates will appear on overhead message boards and on our website and Twitter feed. Additionally, we’re keeping the I-90 express lanes westbound all weekend to help improve traffic flow.

What Can Drivers Do?

There are plenty of alternate routes to get around the northbound I-5 closure, add extra time to your trip.

If you must drive through the area, add plenty of extra time into your trip. We expect the heaviest traffic to come midday Saturday and Sunday on northbound I-5 and I-90 into Seattle and on I-405 approaching I-90. Consider using alternate routes like northbound I-405 to I-90 and northbound SR 599 to SR 99. Maybe now is a good time to try public transportation or carpool. Download our mobile app to stay plugged in.

Why The Closure?

A look at a bridge expansion joint without the metal plate covering the gap.

During the closures, crews will replace four expansion joints that run the width of the highway. If they fail, they can pop up and create obstacles for vehicles, which could lead to collisions and damage to the cars or trucks. We are committed to keeping our highways as safe as possible and we’re working to prevent any problems before they arise.

What’s An Expansion Joint?

The current joints are coming apart. No surprise, since this section of highway carries more than a million vehicles every week. The new joints will bend and flex as the concrete expands and contracts with changing traffic and weather patterns, leading to a safer commute.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

Backups on northbound I-5 are inevitable during the closures. How long they stretch depends on how many people use alternate routes.

We know there are going to be backups on northbound I-5 during these closures. Those are impossible to avoid. But with some planning ahead of time, adjustments to schedules or routes and simply knowing what is going on and what to expect, we hope that at least some headaches will be avoided, and we thank everyone for their patience and cooperation!

The Washington State Transportation Commission wants to hear from you about toll rates

2013-03-22T12:11:00.001-07:00

Under the proposed rates, drivers with a Good To Go!
pass will still pay the lowest toll rate.

By guest blogger Korbett Mosesly

Did you know WSDOT doesn’t set toll rates? The Washington State Transportation Commission is responsible for setting toll rates for state highways and bridges. The commission reviews traffic and revenue on toll facilities, including the SR 520 and Tacoma Narrows bridges, throughout the year to determine whether toll rate changes are necessary.

We design, build, and operate the toll facilities and work with the commission to set toll rates in an amount sufficient to meet the financial obligations of each facility.

What does all this mean if you drive over either the Tacoma Narrows or SR 520 bridges?
On March 19, after months of reviewing traffic and revenue results as well as forecasts for the next fiscal year, the commission proposed toll rate increases for both bridges.

For the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the commission is proposing a 25-cent increase for two-axle vehicles in both 2013 and 2014. On July 1, 2013, the commission proposes that the Good To Go! pass rate will increase to $4.25, the cash rate will go to $5.25 while the Pay By Mail rate will be $6.25. The commission will continue to keep an eye on traffic, revenue and debt payments over the next year however, under their proposal tolls will go up another quarter on July 1, 2014.

On the SR 520 bridge, drivers will see a 2.5 percent increase for all toll rates. The peak weekday Good To Go! pass rate will be $3.70, while the Pay By Mail rate will rise to $5.25.

Why do toll rates need to increase?
Toll rate increases ensure revenues meet our legal requirements to cover debt payments to pay for these new bridges. State law requires revenue collected from tolls on the SR 520 and Tacoma Narrows bridges can only be used on those corridors.

For Tacoma Narrows Bridge, tolls help pay back construction bonds for the new eastbound bridge which opened in 2007. Why are tolls increasing? The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was financed with an escalating debt repayment plan which means our payments were low when the bridge first opened and rise over time. This also means tolls must increase over time. For example, between 2007 and 2009 the state made $41 million in debt payments and in the current 2011-2013 budget debt payments are nearly $90 million.

Tolls on the SR 520 bridge help pay for a new, safer bridge set to open in 2015. Toll rate increases support the finance plan for SR 520, which has incremental increases in the first five years then levels out after the new bridge is open. If you remember, SR 520 toll rates went up 2.5 percent last July, and this upcoming rate increase would be second of four planned, annual 2.5 percent rate increases. There will also be a one-time 15 percent increase in 2016 after the new bridge opens to traffic.

How can you learn more and participate?
The people who drive on and pay for the roads and bridges are an important part of the decision making process. The commission is currently seeking comments on proposed toll rate increases on the Tacoma Narrows and SR 520 bridges.

You have the opportunity to speak directly to the commissioners as they consider new rates. If you can’t make it in person, you can submit your comments to the commission via email at transc@wstc.wa.gov or by mail at:

Washington State Transportation Commission
PO Box 47308
Olympia, WA 98504-7308

Anchors ahoy! Final anchor set for the new 520 floating bridge

2013-03-15T13:15:00.003-07:00

By Guest Bloggers Nathan Karres and David Gitlin

If you crossed the SR 520 floating bridge this morning, you may have caught a glimpse of our contractor crews completing a major project milestone: we placed the 58th of 58 total anchors for the new SR 520 floating bridge.

It’s March madness on Lake Washington as one of the final four
fluke anchors is lowered to the lakebed. Photo taken March 12, 2013

Construction crews pose for a group photo moments before submerging
the last of 58 anchors for the new SR 520 floating bridge.

When you’re crossing Lake Washington on 520 or I-90, it’s easy to forget that you’re actually floating on the lake’s surface above 200 feet of water. The new SR 520 floating bridge will be no different. In order to hold the bridge in place and help withstand winds and waves, we built and installed three kinds of anchors:

Forty-five fluke anchors will secure the bridge in the deepest parts of the lake by creating drag that resists pulling from bridge pontoons floating on the lake’s surface. Weighing 100 tons and with a surface area of 910 square feet (think 20 elephants packed into the floor space of a typical apartment), the immense weight, size and shape of fluke anchors ensure they stay firmly in place. Fluke anchors are covered with mounds of heavy rock to strengthen their hold.
Eight gravity anchors will secure the bridge where the lake bottom is sloped with hard soils. These massive concrete boxes are filled with rocks to hold the bridge in place by shear enormity.
Five shaft anchors have been drilled directly into the lake bottom where the lake is too shallow for gravity anchors.

Gravity and fluke anchors were built at the north end of Lake Washington in Kenmore, at a pair of specifically designed concrete casting areas. After the concrete cures and anchors are ready to go, they’re transported by barge and floated to the bridge site. This is no small feat – each anchor weighs up to 420 tons!

Crews set each anchor at a specifically mapped location in the lake, all the while carefully navigating around the numerous anchor cables for the existing floating bridge. Each anchor will eventually be attached to a new SR 520 bridge pontoon. While remaining pontoons are being constructed in Aberdeen and Tacoma, the anchors will be temporarily connected to mooring buoys bobbing atop the lake.

With one major component of the new SR 520 floating bridge complete, another has only just begun: crews in Medina are preparing to pour the first roadway section for the new bridge. Casting this roadway section is the first of thousands of feet of pavement that will be constructed for the project.

Check back for more updates as we share our progress building the world’s longest floating bridge.

Swinging into high gear on the Salmon Creek Interchange Project

2013-03-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

Crane operators lift the 120-foot girder into place
on the future NE 139th Street Interchange.

By guest blogger Heidi Sause

It’s been a big week on the Salmon Creek Interchange Project. I’m talking high-flying, heavy-lifting, milestone-reaching BIG.

Now, I’m a hyper-enthusiastic transportation geek who’s prone to hyperbole even before reaching for my morning coffee – so you can imagine my delight when a 120-foot long concrete girder took flight on Tuesday.

Don’t get too excited (that’s my job); the flight was scheduled and carefully controlled by two masterful crane operators. But it was still a sight to see. Why? Because girder setting is one of the coolest things we do; it’s the point of construction when years of planning and engineering finally take shape in the field, and a reminder that we’re several 120-foot steps closer to a future with less traffic congestion in the busy Salmon Creek area.

The girders crews are placing right now form the backbone of the new Northeast 139th Street interchange, which will eventually carry drivers over the I-5/I-205 junction in the Salmon Creek neighborhood of northern Vancouver, Wash.

This week, our contractor installed 18 girders on the interchange bridge. They have another 16 scheduled for installation next week, which will bring the installed-girder tally up to 34. Thirty four down, 99 to go. (Ninety-nine girders to place on the bridge, ninety-nine girders to place…)

When complete, the interchange will significantly alleviate some of the gridlock on Northeast 134th Street, the parallel road that runs just south of current construction work. The new interchange also gives drivers another option to access the interstates, and provides direct access to Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital and the Washington State University Vancouver campus (go Cougs!).

We’re in the fourth and final stage of the $133 million congestion relief project, and on track to wrap things up in 2014. In the meantime, crews are in a frenzy of orchestrated activity: drilling bridge shafts, pouring concrete, realigning roads and – as enthusiastically mentioned – setting girders.

Sign up for project email updates and check out our Flickr site to follow the interchange during the upcoming construction season – it’s going to be a doozy.

Story of a flag...

2013-03-01T09:45:00.001-08:00

by guest blogger Jeff Adamson

It's not unusual to see Old Glory flying in front of public buildings. One isn't surprised to see one even on a bridge, but there's sometimes a fascinating story behind some of those flags.

Take the case of the flag atop the SR 285 Senator George Sellar Bridge over the Columbia River in Wenatchee. A bright new flag was installed this week by two of North Central Region's Electrical crew (Tim Hein and Josh Winn), in advance of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival coming in April.

The Sellar flag is unique in that when a local Desert Storm support group got FAA authorization to put up the flag back in '92, it had to be permanently illuminated because it actually replaced the FAA's red flashing aircraft warning beacon on the top of the bridge. (It's the only flag we know of that cannot be moved, so it cannot legally be lowered to half-staff). That group replaced the flags until it disbanded in the late 90's. We then took to replacing them until the state auditor told us we had no statutory authority to expend tax dollars for the flags. We went looking for a partner and since '99, Wenatchee's RiverView Kiwanis club has been paying for them.

The 10x15' light polyester flags we are now using cost about $250.00 each and need to be replaced about every 8 mo. to a year, depending on weather.

It is a much appreciated community service.

Seattle is a happening town...

2013-02-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

by guest blogger Mike Allende

…..and this weekend, well, there’s going to be plenty happening!

Big events at CenturyLink Field, the Washington State Convention Center and a foot race from the Seattle Center to Fremont could draw up to 63,000 people into the city. Knowing that, our contractor crews will work around the big events to push forward on important safety and pavement repair projects on Interstate 5, the West Seattle Bridge and the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

So with three events happening, why do we have three significant closures on the same weekend? Great question!

Unfortunately, as our years are currently constructed, there are only 52 weekends available and a ton of maintenance and preservation work to get done. Closures aren’t fun for anyone, but neither is poor pavement. We have several more large projects this summer and it’s all vital. We’ve been working since the first weekend of January to try to get it all done this year.

To try to make this a little easier, we have a few tricks up our sleeve. First, we’ve got a detour route mapped out for the West Seattle Bridge/I-5 ramp closure. We’ll also be driving it during the closure to see it needs tweaking. We’ve also worked with the City of Seattle to adjust the signals on the detour route. For I-5 drivers, we’re keeping the express lanes open southbound all weekend.

Make sure you plan ahead this weekend. The best thing you can do is plan ahead. If you’re if need to head south on I-5, wait until after 10 a.m. Wherever your travels take you, know before you go. Stay plugged in, check the Seattle Traffic page, our WSDOT mobile app.

So, what exactly is happening? Here you go:

· Thursday night to Sunday morning: Three out of four lanes of southbound I-5 from 65th Street to the Ship Canal bridge will be closed as crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation replace concrete panels and do some pavement grinding. The southbound 45th/50th Street off-ramp will also be closed. Closure times will be from 10 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday, from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, and from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.

· Friday night to Monday morning: The West Seattle Bridge ramp to southbound I-5 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday as crews replace three expansion joints. Drivers will still be able to reach southbound I-5 by using lower Spokane Street or can get off at 4th Avenue South and follow a short detour.

· Saturday and Sunday: The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for its semi-annual maintenance from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 6 a.m. to noon Sunday.

Whew!

But there’s more:

· Sounders: The Seattle Sounders play their season-opener at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the Montreal Impact at CenturyLink Field and could draw nearly 40,000 fans.

· Hot Chocolate: The Hot Chocolate Run – a new foot race – will take place Sunday starting at 6:45 a.m. The race starts at the Seattle Center, goes through parts of the north end of downtown, across the Aurora Bridge and into Fremont. The race could draw more than 3,000 runners.

· Comicon: Emerald City Comicon runs Friday to Sunday at the Washington State Convention Center and expects to draw 20,000 people.

We will have more big closures coming up. With the Sounders and Mariners starting and the usual amount of Seattle fun, this weekend is a great chance to prepare. All of the work is going to lead to better commutes for everyone. We’ll do our part, and with your help, we’ll get through these projects with as minimal of headaches as possible.

The unusual (but successful) path to replacing the viaduct’s southern mile

2013-02-22T14:32:00.000-08:00

by guest blogger Chad Schuster

At first glance, the curvy temporary stretch of State Route 99 that opened last fall to the west of Seattle’s stadiums seems like an unusual path for a highway to take. Certainly it’s not the straightest point between two lines. But viewed in a broader context – keeping the highway open during SR 99 tunnel construction – it’s most certainly the right path. It saves everyone in the long run by maintaining a vital route to and through downtown Seattle as we continue replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Fittingly, the path to completion of that circuitous section of highway, and the permanent section immediately to its south, was unconventional. Yes, we always weigh risks and look for opportunities to save time and money. But this time our vigilance resulted in big changes – most notably swapping an underpass for an overpass at the eleventh hour – made with an eye toward big savings. The history behind that decision is a complicated one. The result is not: We replaced the southern mile of the Alaskan Way Viaduct one year early and under budget. And our last-minute design changes saved more than $50 million.

Of course, making big changes complicated an already challenging project. We knew that we would have to make minor adjustments along the way, and even re-do work in some cases. But the cost of those minor re-dos was well worth it given the overall cost savings and the safety benefit of removing half of the seismically vulnerable viaduct. Here’s the brief history of how it all went down.

The contract to build the viaduct’s south-end replacement went to bid in early 2010.
Our original construction budget for this project was $152.6 million, plus an additional $38 million to manage construction, and minimize risk and impacts to the public. Altogether, the total budget for the project was $190 million.
An important component of the contract was an underpass that would allow drivers to bypass a busy train track that crosses South Atlantic Street, near the entrance to the Port of Seattle’s busiest freight terminal.
As contractors prepared bids, a value engineering study of the program yielded the potential for major savings if we changed from the underpass to an overpass.
Recognizing the value, and being confident in our ability to deliver the project while minimizing impacts to the public, we chose to make the switch. We removed the underpass from the contract and told bidders the overpass would be put out to bid later in a separate contract. We remained in close contact with interested bidders to ensure they understood the changes as they prepared their bids.
Skanska USA Civil was announced as the low-bidder on the main south-end project in May 2010. Thanks to a highly competitive bidding climate, their bid of $114.6 million was 25 percent under our construction estimate. As a result of the low bid, the overall project budget was adjusted from $190 million to $152 million.
Skanska completed their work in September 2012, one year early, at a final construction cost of $121 million. A portion of the additional cost was due to changes that were made necessary by the switch to an overcrossing. Add in the risk and construction management costs and you end up with $150 million – $2 million less than our adjusted budget.
In May 2012, the overcrossing contract was awarded to Atkinson Construction for $29.4 million, $6.2 million under our estimate. The estimated cost for building the underpass was $90 million.
All contracts associated with the viaduct’s south-end replacement are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013, as originally planned.

What all of this really adds up to is this: our job is to deliver transportation projects safely, on time and on budget, while minimizing impacts to the public. With the viaduct’s south-end replacement, we did that and more. It just so happened the best way there was the road less traveled.

Hello, and might I introduce myself: My name is I- 5, and I live in Seattle.

2013-02-12T11:27:00.002-08:00

by guest blogger Jamie Holter

I recently celebrated my 50th birthday. Happy birthday to me, right? Thing is, I’m starting to feel my age and, frankly, I’m starting to look it, too. My genes are good. I come from a long line of rock-solid Cascade gravel. I’ve been told that I have held up longer than most highways my age across the country. Those who have cared for me, WSDOT maintenance crews, have done an excellent job of keeping me humming along. They are so attentive and watch over me constantly.

But like I said, I’m feeling old. I look old. Cracks, potholes, even entire sections of my body are simply falling apart, especially in one of the spots that matters most: the University District, where you have to look and feel your best. More than 250,000 vehicles a day –cars, trucks, vehicles with Boeing airplane parts, cars with studded tires – run roughshod over me. Yes, I know it’s my job. But still. I need a little lift. How can I be the backbone of my economy when I look and feel so…old.

But here’s the good news: In time for my 50th birthday (give or take a couple years) in late spring, WSDOT is giving me the concrete version of Dermabrasion and a Botox treatment. Every Friday night for the next two months on southbound I-5 between NE 50th Street and Lakeview Boulevard, they’ll bring out an industrial strength diamond grinder to smooth my surface. They plan to take anywhere from a ½ inch to ¾ inch off the top. This will get rid of the small cracks that can lead to big cracks, which means more costly face work later. In fact, if it gets too bad, not even major surgery will help. I could be looking at an entire emergency face transplant. I don’t have the budget (or the coverage) for that.

They will also give the worst-of-the-worst sections a little Botox-like treatment. Between you and me, I have more than 32 concrete panels that must be completely replaced, but that’s all I can afford right now.

I’ve heard it’s a little painful on the ears. I mean, it’s noisy, but it’s only Friday nights. (Thanks, guys, for letting me sleep through the work week and doing all the work on Friday night when I get to sleep in on Saturday.)

Yes, I realize that my siblings Alaskan Way and SR 520 Floating Bridge are in worse shape and more vulnerable than I am. That’s why they get to be replaced first. But I am hoping that this lift which will last about 10 years and can get me to my 60th birthday, when WSDOT plans to give me the billion dollar, full replacement that I really deserve after everything I’ve done for everybody.

I do plan to live to be 100, you know.

One person’s trash is another’s…park and ride

2013-02-05T08:41:00.001-08:00

by guest blogger Jef Lucero

New Hawks Prairie Park and Ride Lot

If you build it, carpoolers will come. With blue skies and sunshine serving as a warm and welcome backdrop, leadership from Intercity Transit, Thurston County, the city of Lacey and WSDOT convened on Jan. 25 to cut the ribbon on the new Hawks Prairie park and ride near Lacey. The facility—located just north of I-5 at Marvin Road—provides commuters with 332 parking stalls, and the view looks great from all of them.

“This project addresses a significant need and benefits the public we serve,” said former three-term legislator and current Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero. “This park and ride represents innovation, smart land use, public stewardship and strong partnerships.”

Created with the aid of a grant from WSDOT as part of its Regional Mobility Grant program, this project represents a bold and unique vision made possible thanks to the help of a strong, dynamic set of partners. Peppered with modest landscaping flourishes and modern amenities, it bears no resemblance to the landfill once housed at the site. Built above 25 to 60 feet of garbage and 148,000 tons of fill, the park and ride also features four electric-vehicle charging stations and 24-hour security cameras.

This park and ride isn’t just built atop a landfill: Considering the immediate surroundings slope down and away from the facility, it’s rather perched atop it, seemingly vaulting up from where it sits. From almost any perspective, the view sweeps toward the horizon. If ever there was a picturesque park and ride, this surely is the one - proving once and for all that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. Or, park and ride.

Addressing the crowd, Commissioner Romero expressed her appreciation for the project’s partners. She cited the efforts of IT, WSDOT, the city of Lacey and the contractors on the project for collaborating to make the park and ride a reality. “This is a great example of a public-private partnership come to life,” said Commissioner Romero.

About 100 people and two dogs attended the celebration. Joining Commissioner Romero were Lacey Mayor Virgil Clarkson; Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet; IT Acting General Manager Ann Freeman-Manzaneres; executives from the Washington State Transit Association, Sound Transit, and the Thurston Regional Planning Council; officials from the IT Board of Directors; and members of the Lacey and Olympia city councils.

WSDOT’s Regional Mobility Grants program delivers transit-mobility projects that are cost-effective, reduce travel delay for people and goods, improve connectivity between counties and regional transportation centers and are consistent with local and regional transportation and land-use plans. Funded through the multimodal transportation fund, the program has provided $161.2 million to support local projects since 2006.

The Puck Test

2013-01-25T14:33:00.001-08:00

by Guest blogger Mike Allende

Hockey is a winter sport and WSDOT is getting in on the puck action. Well, kind of. While it doesn’t involve goalies, slap shots or penalty boxes, this action may end up helping traffic move more efficiently.

Soon we’ll be giving Sensys Puck road sensors their first Seattle-area tryout when we install them on northbound I-5 near Northgate. It’s a test project pitting the youthful technology of these wireless sensors against the veteran savvy of existing loop detectors embedded in the roadway in a heated matchup to see which performs best in gathering traffic and vehicle information.

Loop detectors only work with good pavement, and funding for pavement preservation is looking grim. We still need to have reliable traffic information, so as an alternative, the plucky pucks may be the answer.
The pucks are compact and solid, just 3 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter, but don’t let their size fool you. There’s plenty of power and versatility packed in those little bodies and they hold up well under pressure, whether it’s a semi-truck or heavy rain.

What can these little guys do? Plenty. They count every car as it goes by, measuring speed, lane occupancy, gaps between vehicles, direction of travel and even vehicle length. This information is valuable in evaluating traffic flow and signal control, and letting drivers know if a road is congested or not on our flow map. That’s some MVP ability.

Inductive loops have similar skills but require pavement that is in good shape in order to work well. Pucks are also easier to handle than the gangly and awkward loops. That means they can get in position quicker, usually just 10 to 15 minutes per puck, leading to a much shorter disruption of traffic. Two loops, on the other hand, take about two hours to install.

To prepare for the puck’s debut, crews bore a circular hole in the pavement, about 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep. We want to put the puck in the best position to be successful, so crews level the holes so that each sensor gets an accurate reading.

After the pucks are in position, they're well protected with a strong epoxy. These guys are valuable and they need to be taken care of. They look sharp and impressive in their black uniforms, but at the same time aren't distracting. They'll fit right in.

The pucks aren’t going to be on their own, though. They team with a local controller, which receives transmissions and crunches data from each individual sensor. The controller can give an overall report about the presence of vehicles, average number of vehicles at any time, average speeds and lane occupancy, among other information. That’s some great teamwork! Loops also work in tandem but have to be hard-wired to a controller device, meaning there are only particular areas they can work without incurring a huge cost.

The pucks often make their appearance overnight to little fanfare, and can even be installed using a brief traffic slowdown rather than lane closures, unlike the loop sensors. They are run by battery and expect to have a long 10-year career. They’re also healthy, and unless the battery dies or there’s an epoxy failure, there shouldn’t be any other maintenance necessary. If maintenance is needed, the pucks can easily be popped out of the pavement, minimizing concrete damage. The health of loops is more questionable, as maintenance is a big issue with these guys. Some loops hold up well over time, others have to retire after 2 or 3 years. Maintenance involves digging up the concrete, dealing with the loop, and replacing the concrete, a much more invasive process. These are huge factors as pavement preservation is vital with increasing traffic. The less the ground has to be dug up, the longer it will last.

So who’s it going to be, the grizzled veteran or the intriguing rookie? The Northgate project costs about $20,000 while a comparable setup with the loops would be about $15,000. The signing bonus is higher for the pucks but add in the costs of maintenance down the road and the potential traffic disruptions and the up-front cost may be worth it. Clearly there are pluses and minuses with both, so the result of this tryout is going to be interesting and exciting to watch!

Looking at tolling I-90

2013-01-23T15:31:00.000-08:00

By guest blogger Michell Mouton

We’re collecting tolls on SR 520 to generate $1 billion in funding to help fund construction of a new SR 520 bridge – but we still need to close a $1.4 billion funding gap to complete SR 520 improvements between the west side of the bridge and I-5.

For years, planning studies and legislative actions have considered I-90 tolling revenue to help fill that gap. And since SR 520 tolls started, we’ve seen I-90 traffic volumes go up 11 percent or about 15,000 more vehicles a day. So the State Legislature has decided that the time has come to start the discussion again.

We’re studying the possibility of adding tolls on I-90, between Seattle and Bellevue to help address both of the challenges: balance Cross-Lake Washington traffic and generate revenue to fill the SR 520 construction funding gap.

Deciding whether to toll I-90 involves several steps including an environmental assessment (EA) that’s required as part of the National Environmental Protection Policy Act (NEPA). Basically, NEPA is in place to ensure that we understand, document and if necessary, mitigate the effects of I-90 tolling. That’s why it’s important we hear from you as we start this comment period. We want to learn about any project effects - good or bad - because the EA helps inform decision-making around this project.

How can you get involved?
The 30-day public comment period extends from Jan. 22 to midnight Feb. 22. There are many ways to share your feedback:

Go to a public scoping meeting: Learn more about the project, talk to project team members and comment in person.
The following meetings take place from 4-7 p.m.:

Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Mercer Island Community Center, 8236 SE 24th St., Mercer Island.
Wednesday, Jan. 30 at Bellevue City Hall, 450 11th Ave. NE, Bellevue.
Thursday, Jan. 31 at Yesler Community Center, 917 E. Yesler Way, Seattle.

Go online: All meeting materials are posted on our web page and you can comment online as well: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/tolling/i90/onlinescoping.

Send us an email: You can also submit comments by e-mail at I90EAcomments@wsdot.wa.gov or by writing to Ms. Angela Angove at 999 Third Avenue, Suite 2200, Seattle, WA 98104. Mailed comments must be postmarked by Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2013.

What do I comment about? Ask yourself these questions to help get your ideas flowing:

How will I be affected by tolling on I-90?
What should WSDOT consider as they look at the social and environmental influences of tolling I-90?

How much time do I have? Don’t panic if you can’t give us your feedback today or next week. This is a long process.

The comment period runs until February 22, 2013
More opportunity for public comment will be available at a public hearing in November where we will share the findings of the environmental assessment. The final environmental document is scheduled to be complete in late 2013.

2012 In Pictures

2013-01-08T12:34:00.005-08:00

I continue to be fascinated how transportation affects each and every one of our lives. Whether it be a trip to the grocery store, a commute to work or a vacation trip across the state, we rely on this system to help us get to our destinations. I thought it would be worth reflecting on 2012, and hope you enjoy the journey with me.

This was a scene from a wintry January SR 520 weekend closure as we continued work in the area to get ready for a new bridge. Although tolling on SR 520 officially started in 2011, 2012 saw drivers adjusting their commutes as they help pay for a safer, more reliable bridge.

Early January saw significant snowfall to the mountain passes. Here we see a familiar scene on I-90 as crews perform avalanche control near the snowshed.

Not often do you see plows out in force on I-5 in Thurston County, but we saw that during storms in early January.

Crews checking out snow depth and conditions on the North Cascades Highway on March 7, 2012.

Snow continued to fall on the passes into March. Here we see a result of avalanche control on I-90.

SR 99 tunnel prep in Seattle continued throughout 2012.

We take the time each year to remember those workers who lost their lives in work zones. There were some close calls but fortunately didn't lose anyone in 2012 and we're hoping you Give 'Em a Brake in 2013.

May 30, 2012, saw the grand opening of the West Coast Electric Highway, helping reduce range anxiety for electric vehicle drivers on main corridors in Oregon and Washington.

One of my personal favorites, banding a baby Peregrine Falcon. This chick is nesting in a box under the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle. The mother of this chick has been on the bridge since 2002. Follow the entire account of falcon banding on our Storify site.

Anyone else remember that crazy storm we had in July? This particular cloud dumped several inches of rain on SR 14 and caused quite a mess with multiple mudslides and guardrail damage.

Automating the I-5 express lanes was a big step forward for us in 2012. Instead of taking an hour to change the lane direction, new equipment was installed that cut the time to 15 minutes. Watch a YouTube video describing these changes.

In August, we got our first glimpse of the world's largest-diameter tunnel boring machine. It was built in Japan and will dig the SR 99 tunnel beneath downtown Seattle starting in summer 2013.

Nearly three years after a landslide destroyed a quarter mile of SR 410 west of Naches, crews rebuilt the state highway along the toe of the landslide. On Aug. 30, Nile Valley residents and business owners were the first in line to drive on the new route that saves time and money.

August saw more SR 520 weekend closures as construction continued throughout the year as we demolished overpasses, installed larger culverts and prepped the roadway for a new, wider SR 520.

In August, crews closed SR 167 in both directions for a weekend to add a new 19’ wide new fish friendly culvert.

2012 also saw construction of the first of two new Olympic Class, 144-car ferries. This one was named Tokitae.

Crews are making great progress on I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass! In November, the new westbound lanes opened to traffic, and by next fall, we’ll complete the first three miles of five miles of improvements. By 2017, I-90 will be wider and less congested along Keechelus Lake, just east of Hyak, with fewer closures from avalanche-control work. We hope to continue the improvements all the way to Easton.

Construction on the North Spokane Corridor freeway reached a significant milestone in 2012 with 5.7 miles of the 10-mile route fully completed and open to traffic.

Sometimes you just can't give enough credit to crews out in the field who work to keep highways open. On a quiet Friday morning in October, 42,000 pounds of fish heads and guts were scattered across US 101 in southern Pacific County. The semi was off the road within a couple of hours, but it took many more to clean up all the residual. Yuck.

Demolition begins on the old SR 16 eastbound Nalley Valley viaduct in Tacoma to make way for a new, expanded viaduct. Eastbound SR 16 traffic is driving on a temporary bridge until the new viaduct is completed later this year.

An artful shot of crews assembling rebar cages for the new I-5 Salmon Creek interchange, which is in it's final stages of completion.

We are gaining momentum in delivering nearly $800 million in federally funded rail projects with the goal of providing faster, more frequent Amtrak Cascades service between Seattle and Portland. Five of our 20 federally-funded projects were under construction or completed in 2012, with five more set to break ground in 2013. The most recent completed project added two new tracks through BNSF’s busy rail yard near Everett to reduce the conflicts and delays from freight traffic.

While this shot is of Mount Baker highway, which saw hundreds of trees down across the roadway, December saw a 69-hour closure of US 2 from Stevens summit to Leavenworth due to falling trees (first time for that…). It started on Saturday, Dec. 22, and continued through Christmas Day. This unique phenomenon even had prominent meteorologist Cliff Mass blogging about the falling trees.

For Stevens pass, despite the higher than usual snow totals for the past two La Nina winters, December 2012 beat them. We had a total of 253 inches by Dec. 22 – a total we didn't reach last winter until Jan. 23.

The launch pit for the SR 99 tunneling machine. When complete, it will be 400 feet long, 80 feet wide and 80 feet deep.

Social Media
Our social media audience continued to grow in 2012 as many people found value in the real-time information we provide via those channels. Here's an example of the content we put on Twitter.

In September, Apple released iOS 6 update that included their new mapping software. Realizing how dependent some folks are on their mobile devices for navigation we decided to raise awareness of the flaws in the new mapping system by using a little tongue-in-cheek humor on Twitter:

Although #ios6 may say differently, we can assure you that the Tacoma Narrows Bridges have not melted: bit.ly/NF6ccQ
— Washington State DOT (@wsdot) September 20, 2012

Here's a list of the rest of the best tweets of 2012.

Other notable items worth mentioning:

First 520 pontoons floated into Lake Washington.
For the first time, the Coast Guard began allowing boats to pass through the drawspan in the middle of the day with two hours notice. We had to figure out how to let drivers know before they were on the road that the bridge would open at a particular time. Our traditional alerts are primarily for media outlets. For this, we knew we had to reach drivers directly and do it in a way that gave them ample warning without overdoing it… as a result, a special alert just for 520 users that they could opt to receive as a text or an email.
In May, crews completed an interchange on US 12 near Burbank, east of the Tri-Cities. The 60-mph traffic on US 12 no longer has to stop at a traffic signal, and SR 124 drivers now use freeway ramps to enter and exit US 12, reducing conflicts and collisions.
Central Washington saw one of the worst forest fires in decades dubbed the Taylor Bridge Fire that closed SR 10 and US 97 multiple times in August.
Two I-5 widening projects were under way last year, one in Clark County and one in Lewis County. Together, they total $288 million in gas tax investments and improve traffic flow for more than 100,000 drivers. Both are still under construction and scheduled for completion within the next two years.
Two Clark County projects eliminated three at-grade intersections, one of which (SR 500/St. Johns) was one of the most dangerous in the area, with an average of one collision a week.
Finally started construction on the new vessel for the Keller Ferry route. The “Sanpoil” will replace the “Martha S.’ which is the oldest vessel in our fleet, having been launched in 1948.
Fully completed the north 5.7 miles of the 10.5-mile North Spokane Corridor freeway.

Quite a busy year when you look back on it, thanks for being there with us, here's to a safe 2013.

A year later: SR 520 tolls are already helping fund construction of a new bridge

2013-01-04T08:07:00.002-08:00

by Guest blogger Emily Pace

Dec. 29, 2012 marked one-year since tolling started on the SR 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington. It’s been a team effort and we thank drivers for their patience during this first year of tolling.
SR 520 traffic and revenue continue to meet projections and we are on the way to providing more than $1 billion in funding to help pay for the construction of a new bridge. Through the end of Nov. 30, 2012, SR 520 tolls have generated approximately $50 million in gross revenue. SR 520 variable tolling is also a successful traffic management tool as some drivers are adjusting their trip times to off-peak hours to take advantage of lower toll rates.
Looking back to December 2011 before tolling started, we anticipated about 48 percent drop in traffic volumes on SR 520. That projection was close to actual traffic at the start of tolling, but as expected, throughout the year we’ve seen more drivers return to the corridor and SR 520 bridge traffic is now about 70 percent of pre-toll levels.
As expected, alternate routes are busier, particularly outside of peak commute times. However, not all of the former SR 520 traffic has diverted to other routes. Here’s what we’ve seen on other routes:

Overall we have seen a decrease of about 5 percent in the number of total trips around and across Lake Washington on SR 520, I-90 and SR 522.
Traffic volumes on the I-90 floating bridge have increased approximately 11 percent and the average travel times in both directions of I-90 between Issaquah and Seattle have increased one to two minutes.
Traffic volumes on SR 522 in Kenmore have increased approximately 9 percent, or about 3,800 vehicles daily. Travel times remain relatively the same as before tolling during the morning and are about two minutes longer during the afternoon.

Others took advantage of increased transit service and now take the bus instead of driving. King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit continue to see strong ridership growth across Lake Washington on SR 520. Estimated daily ridership through September 2012 was up a total of 25 percent since 2010.
The majority of drivers pay the toll using a Good To Go! account. About 84 percent of all trips across the SR 520 bridge are paid with a Good To Go! account, which is 12 percent higher than the original forecast. Through the end of November, there have been more than 18 million tolled trips on SR 520.
If you’ve driven across the SR 520 bridge without a Good To Go! account and received a toll bill in the mail, it’s not too late to open up an account. You can open a Good To Go! account, pre-pay $30 and then call customer service and have the toll bills applied to your account. You can open an account online, by calling 1-866-936-8246 or in person at a customer service center in Seattle, Bellevue or Gig Harbor.

West Seattle Bridge interchange: Construction closures this weekend

2013-01-02T08:48:00.001-08:00

By guest blogger Jamie Holter

Crews will replace expansion joints on the I-5 ramps that
connect West Seattle, Columbian Way and Spokane Street.

Don’t be surprised by construction. Know before you go in SODO.

This weekend, the first weekend in January, marks the official start of WSDOT’s 2013 Seattle area construction season. Construction crews will close the southbound I-5 ramp to the West Seattle Bridge and the westbound Columbian Way ramp to the West Seattle Bridge.

Traffic will be busier than usual as drivers wind their way to the West Seattle Bridge using the Viaduct, South Lander Street, Forest Street, First Avenue South and Fourth Avenue South.

During this weekend closure and the next 10 weekend closures, crews will replace 50-year old expansion joints, pieces of steel that run across all lanes and allow the bridge to bend and flex with heavy traffic and the freeze-thaw cycle.

Each weekend closure will be a different ramp. Drivers who want to take the guess work out of construction closures can check the color-coded map (pdf 515 kb). Engineers have planned out each weekend closure between now and April.

Don’t be surprised by construction. Know before you go in SODO.

Mount Baker Highway crews working hard to clear the highway

2012-12-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

If you’re a skier, boarder or snow aficionado of any sort, the closure of Mount Baker Highway is probably an unwelcome pre-holiday present. An unusually potent combination of rain, snow and heavy winds forced us to close the highway (also known as SR 542) Tuesday morning, Dec. 18, just east of Glacier.

We know how important our mountain pass highways are to not only freight traffic but local ski areas – when we close, they close. We want to get the road back open to drivers (and for the ski areas) as soon as it’s safe, but right now, our crews have to take it day by day. As our maintenance supervisor Theo Donk says: “Things can change completely in three hours.”

And they have. Starting Monday night, Dec. 17, nearly 100 trees came down across the highway in less than 24 hours. It’s now been more than 48 hours, and the tally is up to at least 120 trees – and counting.

Did we mention the snow? More than 6 feet (and counting) since Friday, Dec. 14. It’s a combination that has our maintenance crews on their toes. Donk said it’s the kind of weather that makes the hair stand up on the back of his neck: Whiteout conditions, and the all-too-real threat of a large tree crashing down at any moment.

As the snow continues, larger trees are falling. Not only are limbs snapping off, entire 30-inch-diameter trees that can’t handle the added weight of the snow are coming down across the highway.

Maintenance crews are staged at the Shuksan maintenance camp and ready to tackle the trees (and the snow) – as soon as it’s safe to get out on the road. They’ve got two large excavators, an assortment of chainsaws and plow trucks all on standby, ready to clear the highway at first light.

“We’ve got what we need to do our job – now we’re just waiting to go do it,” Donk said. “We’re taking it one day at a time.”

Becoming Bertha: the journey begins for the world’s largest tunneling machine

2012-12-21T10:06:00.001-08:00

Bertha’s Twitter profile photo. More photos of her and construction in Seattle are posted
regularly on Flickr. A 10-foot-long interactive model of Bertha is on
display at Milepost 31, the project’s information center in Pioneer Square.
For more information about the SR 99 Tunnel Project, visit www.alaskanwayviaduct.org.

Before you buy a car, you take it for a spin to see how it runs.

Same goes for the world’s largest-diameter tunneling machine. With that in mind, leaders from the SR 99 Tunnel Project flew to Japan this week to visit Bertha, the five-story tall behemoth that will begin tunneling beneath downtown Seattle next summer.

They spent the day at the Sakai Works factory in Osaka, watching major components of the $80 million machine rotate, extend, retract and move. The goal? Make sure Bertha – whose name was chosen earlier this month as part of a contest for school-aged kids across Washington – is running smoothly before she boards a ship to Seattle.

“This machine is incredibly innovative,” said Linea Laird, WSDOT’s administrator for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program. “Using technology like this allows us to create a new highway 99 while keeping the viaduct open to traffic.”

With so much riding on Bertha, it’s no wonder Laird and others made the long trip. Seattle Tunnel Partners, WSDOT’s contractor for the project, will authorize shipment of the machine after testing is completed next month. Crews will then prepare the machine for its eventual departure to Seattle.

They will spend the early part of next year disassembling Bertha into 41 separate pieces – the largest weighing up to 900 tons – and loading them onto a single ship. After a month-long trip across the Pacific Ocean, Bertha will land at the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 46, to the west of CenturyLink Field. Crews in Seattle will transport the pieces a few hundred yards east to an 80-foot-deep pit where the machine will be reassembled and launched beneath downtown next summer.

When Bertha arrives in Seattle, she’ll bring with her plenty of excitement. But the project she’s a part of has already brought something very important to Washington: jobs. Construction to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct is boosting the local and regional economies, sustaining more than 3,900 jobs at the height of construction. Evidence of that can be found near Bertha’s launch pit, where crews are busily preparing for her arrival.

Bertha’s preparing too, according to her recently established Twitter profile. Step 1: get her travel documents in order.

“So nice to finally have an identity,” @BerthaDigsSR99 tweeted shortly after her name was announced. “Maybe now the passport agency will take my application.”

Laird and others are counting on that as Bertha’s journey to – and eventually beneath – Seattle draws closer.

Kirkland area travelers, get ready to meet your new interchange

2012-12-20T10:35:00.002-08:00

By guest blogger Anne Broache

After some 18 months of construction, we’ll soon be finished revamping the area where Northeast 116th Street meets Interstate 405. Our goals were to improve your access to and from the highway at this interchange, and to upgrade safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike.

What’s new?
For drivers:

New lanes and traffic signals on Northeast 116th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast
A rebuilt bridge with additional lanes over the railroad
A new interchange design aimed at boosting traffic flow (more on that below)
More space for vehicles on the I-405/Northeast 116th Street on- and off-ramps, resulting in decreased merging and collision risks

For bicyclists and pedestrians:

Improved lighting
Wider sidewalks
A continuous bike lane through the interchange area

For the environment:

A new storm water pond and drainage vaults to preserve water quality

Drivers traveled through the new Single Point Urban Interchange
(SPUI) at NE 116^th Street and I-405 in Kirkland on its first day of operation, Dec. 20.
This SPUI is the first interchange design
of its kind on the I-405 corridor.

Most notably, we transformed this interchange from a traditional one to a more efficient half Single Point Urban Interchange, or SPUI (pronounced “spooey”). This SPUI is designed to maximize traffic flow in this notoriously congested area for Kirkland commuters heading to and from I-405.
How does a SPUI work?
With the new SPUI design, the on- and off-ramps converge at a single location controlled by one set of traffic signals at the center of the interchange. The signal in this case is located on the underside of the I-405 overpass.
The SPUI design increases the number of vehicles that can clear the interchange each time the light turns green for a particular stream of traffic.
Want to learn more?
This video explores the interchange’s new features so you’ll know what to expect. You can also see more photos of the construction progress at our Flickr page.
Finally, we’d like to send a special thank you to all of the Kirkland commuters who experienced the construction closures and delays while we worked to improve this interchange.

The Sanpoil gets ready for service

2012-12-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

By guest blogger Al Gilson

Here’s a different story about a boat getting flipped over. No, there are no big headlines about a daring rescue at sea in this story.

Now being built near Longview, the “Sanpoil,” our new ferry vessel for the Keller Route across the Columbia River in eastern Washington reached a major construction milestone on December 11.
For the last several months, workers at the Foss Maritime boat yard have been fabricating this new ferry vessel. They began by building the frame for the car deck then pieced together the hull frame, followed by the hull plates. When that phase was completed, the center section, and two outer sections were upside-down on the shop floor.

The next move was to flip the 20,000-pound center section over. In a process that took two cranes and about 45 minutes, the 56 foot-long component was lifted up, rolled over and placed on a special cradle aboard a multi-axle trailer.

Coming up, the ship builders will attach the bow sections. (There are two “front ends” on the boat and no stern since it’s a double ended ferry. Cars and trucks will drive on and off at either end so the boat never has to turn around.) When those are connected, the center section on the trailer will be 22 feet wide and 116 feet long. That’s the maximum size that will be able to squeeze along the highways and under any overpasses as it, the two outer sections, the pilot house, and other components are towed from the boat yard to Grand Coulee Dam for final assembly early next year.
The Sanpoil should enter service in mid-2013.

The three sections of the new “Sanpoil” ferry.
The center section was placed on the trailer.

Help up by the crane.

Being rolled over to set on the trailer.

The cradle and trailer under the boat.

All done.

Putting it back together again

2012-12-06T14:04:00.001-08:00

When a vital roadway gets knocked out of service, it's our job to get it back open as quickly as possible for drivers, and emergency responders. Fixing something like a bridge fixed is by no means, a small feat. An average of 15,000 vehicles each day use the northbound lanes of the SR 529 Snohomish River bridge from Everett to Marysville. This hard-working blue-collar bridge has been around for 85 years and took quite a beating this weekend when a driver smacked an SUV into a couple of support beams.

For safety, our inspectors closed the northbound bridge until the damaged support beams could be fixed. These are critical pieces that support the bridge deck. Replacement parts can't be ordered out of a catalogue, we had to custom make them from raw steel.

A team of about 30 worked in shifts around the clock to design, fabricate and install a new diagonal and vertical support beam.

We didn't want to risk further stress on the bridge deck, so we needed to park heavy equipment on the ground and use boom lifts to access the damaged support beams. Replacement parts were up to 30 feet long and weighed as much as 1000 pounds. It's really tough to safely get those pieces in place in the driving rain with high winds.

After about 500 combined hours of work, the northbound SR 529 Snohomish River bridge reopened to traffic at about 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 4. We don't roll the dice on safety. It's pretty amazing how quickly it all came together. In 81 hours, the bridge went from damaged to repaired. We closed it, stabilized it, designed replacement parts, fabricating and installed them - and only disrupting one event commute for drivers.