Road projects on I-90 coming
April 2, 2009
By Michael Rowe
A multi-year roadwork project on Interstate 90 is scheduled to begin this summer and the Washington State Department of Transportation wants to get information about the project out to the communities along the interstate.
Interstate 90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project Manager Randy Giles will be at the May 15 meeting of the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce, where he will offer information to the area about the road projects.
Giles spoke with the SnoValley Star recently, and outlined the $545 million project. Valley residents who travel over the pass could see some delays this summer, and Giles is urging that travelers should plan ahead to avoid delays.
Most of the work will be in a six-mile stretch from Hyak to Easton. The goal of the project is to reduce delays caused by avalanche closures at the pass and to add more lanes to reduce congestions.
This summer, the roadwork will focus on building a detour route and bridge to reduce delays caused by future work on the interstate. The work will involve moving about 250,000 tons of gravel from Lake Keechelus to accommodate the addition of two lanes to both sides of the four-lane interstate.
In 2010, work will begin on improving the roadway, its bridges and culverts. The following year, in 2011, the construction of a new shed covering the eastbound lanes will begin. The current snow shed only covers the westbound interstate lanes. A new snow shed will reduce the amount of time needed to clear avalanche debris from the road. The snow and debris of controlled avalanches goes over the current snow tunnel and onto the eastbound interstate lanes, which requires the lanes to be closed to remove the debris.
Giles said that the pass is closed 60 hours a year due to weather, accidents and avalanche control work. The state estimates that 40 hours of closure are due to avalanche control, and once the project is completed, there will be few if any closures caused by avalanche control.
Most of the roadwork is scheduled for the summer months to take advantage of good weather and lower water levels at Lake Keechelus. Work on the project is not expected to be complete until 2015.
Funding for the project was awarded by Washington state in 2005, and the start date for the roadwork is a year ahead of schedule, Giles said. The state is currently looking at adjusting the initial $545 million budget for the project to $595 million to account for higher costs for labor and material.
According to Giles, the long time frame and the high price tag for the project are because of the difficult topography of the area.
“It’s very challenging topography. We’re between a rock cliff on one side and a lake on the other,” said Giles, about the work done near Lake Keechelus.
Giles said that one of the goals of the project from its start has been to minimize lane closures and traffic delays caused by the work.
“We’ve been really careful about our strategy, providing long-term detours, and we’ve made a commitment to keep four lanes open during the peak travel on the weekends,” Giles said.
Lane closures will occur at night and during mid-week periods when there aren’t as many drivers on the road. But Giles said there will be no way to completely avoid congestion caused by the project.
“There will be congestion. Lanes and shoulders will be narrower,” Giles said.
Drivers who want to avoid congestion and delays caused by the construction would do well to plan their trips in advance. Giles noted that the Web site for the department of transportation www.wsdot.wa.gov provides much useful information for trip planning to avoid construction related delays.
Reach reporter Michael Bayless Rowe at mrowe@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434, ext. 248.
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