Director:  Linda Dougherty
Employees:  653 FTE
2007 operating budget:  $75.5 million
Six-year capital budget:  $361 million
Website:  www.kingcounty.gov/roads

Linda Dougherty

About the Division

The Road Services Division designs, builds, preserves, operates, and maintains roads, bridges, sidewalks, and bike paths in unincorporated areas of King County. The division strives to make the county’s system of roads and bridges safe and efficient for all modes of travel.

The Road Services Division is responsible for 1,795 miles of roadway, 185 bridges, 127 traffic signals, and more than 47,000 traffic signs within the 1,755 square mile area of unincorporated King County. In 2007, the division provided contract services to the following cities: Burien, Covington, Federal Way, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Newcastle, Sammamish, SeaTac, Shoreline, and Woodinville. As-needed contract services were provided to: Algona, Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Bothell, Des Moines, Duvall, Enumclaw, Issaquah, Kent, Medina, Mercer Island, Milton, Normandy Park, North Bend, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tukwila, Pierce County, Sound Transit, in addition to other county departments and divisions.

Preservation and maintenance of the road system, as well as traffic and pedestrian safety, are very high priorities for the division. Safety work focuses on identifying and improving high-accident locations, installing safety improvements such as traffic signals and guardrails, and working with neighborhoods on traffic and pedestrian safety concerns.

The division also provides year-round response to keep roads and bridges clear and safe for travel during storms and other unforeseen events. The division’s 24/7 Help Line provides a quick response to road problems and emergency situations reported by the public. The division is organized into five sections: Capital Improvement Program and Planning; Engineering Services; Traffic Engineering; Roads Maintenance; and Administration. Some functions and services are legally mandated, while others have been developed in response to identified needs and community input.

2007 in review

In 2007, the Road Services Division focused on preserving the road network in unincorporated King County by replacing bridges and culverts that support the roadways, and repaving worn-out road surfaces. Staff installed more than 30,000 lineal feet of guardrails, some in new locations; and retrofitted existing non-compliant systems to help keep motorists safe. And, the division invested $7.2 million on the countywide pavement overlay program to resurface 52 miles of unincorporated roads. The division met 2007 paving goals, even though the cost of asphalt increased by 17 percent.

Safety was a top concern as the division responded to five significant storms during the winter of 2006- 2007, which generated more than 170 repair projects for the Roads Maintenance section. After one storm in January 2007, maintenance crews removed more than 1,260 tons of storm debris from county roadways, and worked around the clock during a single eight-day period to clear roads of snow and ice. During the December 2007 storms, the 24/7 helpline received more than 400 citizen calls reporting emergencies, flooding, and storm-related damages. The division responded quickly to five large mudslides and one sinkhole that closed roads, as well as numerous smaller slides, downed trees, road flooding, and clogged storm drains.

Significant progress was made on two major capital projects that are scheduled for completion in 2008 to improve safety and traffic flow on two river crossings. A new Tolt Bridge replaces one originally built in 1922. It is wider, safer for motorists and pedestrians, and designed to reduce river flooding in that location. The new Mt Si Bridge, which provides sole access to about 400 homes near North Bend, will have two wider travel lanes and a sidewalk for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The division continued to plan for the replacement of the aging South Park Bridge over the Duwamish River. The county has already secured $20 million to complete design and permitting of a replacement bridge. Approximately $150 million total is needed for construction of the new bridge and demolition of the old structure. Without additional funding, the deteriorating South Park Bridge will likely close in 2010.

The culvert projects completed in 2007 met both the need to improve the infrastructure supporting roadways and habitat protection goals. The division complied with the new state law requiring culverts that obstruct fish passage to be removed by continuing the Countywide Drainage and Fish Passage Program. The replacement of 13 large culverts opened up an additional five miles of stream to bring back fish and improve habitat.

In 2007, staff began design and construction of new and replacement sidewalk/pathway ramps to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The division built 143 ramps, and will incorporate ramp replacements into future roadway projects wherever possible.

The division increased its use of technology to improve the movement of people and goods on busy corridors. In 2007, the division completed three Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) corridor projects, installed 40 cameras, and began connecting the King County traffic control center to four centers operated by other jurisdictions in the area. The projects allow for monitoring and remote operation of 37 traffic signals spanning five jurisdictions. Cameras placed along the corridors can also be accessed by the public via the county’s “MyCommute” website, which allows motorists to make alternative travel plans rather than be stuck in traffic.

It also completed design of the Avondale/Novelty Hill Road ITS project to provide remote monitoring and operation of the traffic signals from State Route 202 to 208th Avenue Northeast. The Avondale/Novelty Hill Road ITS project is being carried out in partnership with the city of Redmond and will improve traffic flow through a very congested arterial route leading to State Route 520 and SR 202. And, it continued work on a Regional ITS Implementation Plan for all jurisdictions within the Puget Sound Region to work together to create compatible ITS plans. This includes developing a list of key ITS projects, and coordinating communication and operational activities. The resulting Regional Traffic Operations Committee is developing strategies that will result in smoother travel for motorists using arterials that cross jurisdictional boundaries.

Protection of the environment and cost savings were the goals when the division undertook a large lighting replacement and retrofit project at ten buildings at its maintenance complex in Renton. The project involved replacing all old fluorescent lamps with energy efficient versions. It’s estimated the project will save approximately 226,000 kilowatt-hours per year – a 50-percent reduction in energy usage over the former lighting. In 2007, Road Services received King County’s “Excellence in Building Green” Award for two projects, Military Road South/South 272nd Street and 148th Avenue Northwest Pedestrian Improvements. Staff also expanded the division’s comprehensive cultural resources database that catalogs known and suspected artifacts in King County. The program received a 2007 achievement award from the National Association of Counties. It was selected as “Best in Category” in the Arts and Historic Preservation category – one of only 14 such awards conferred nationwide.

Looking ahead

As the Road Services Division looks ahead, priorities include developing programs that maintain the safety and preservation of the road network, enhancing the division’s ability to quickly respond to storms and emergencies, and developing road and bridge projects that protect and enhance the environment. In 2008, the division is scheduled to complete the 14-year, $22.8 million, Bridge Seismic Retrofit Program it began in 1994. The program upgraded all earthquake vulnerable bridges owned and maintained by King County. At the conclusion, a total of 115 bridges will have been seismically retrofitted, excluding bridges scheduled for replacement. By enhancing the structural strength of these bridges, the division makes them better able to withstand a strong earthquake, which also prevents sections of the road network from shutting down during a disaster.

In the past several years, the region has seen an increase in the severity and number of weather-related emergency events. Many scientists predict the potential for severe storms in the Northwest will grow as a result of global warming. To ensure the safety of motorists and the employees who respond during severe weather, the division is proposing to add additional resources – such as anti-icing materials and equipment – at maintenance facilities throughout the county to allow for quicker response during storms.

Transportation is a key contributor to climate change in this region. The Road Services Division’s 2008 business plan positions the division to lead new and innovative solutions to achieve the goal of reducing the “carbon footprint” of our roadway facilities. Work will continue to improve fish passage, control erosion and stormwater runoff, and expand energy efficiency efforts.

Now that the preliminary engineering design of the preferred alternative is completed for the South Park Bridge, additional environmental impact analysis is underway. Staff continues to aggressively explore funding options for the $150 million project.

The rising cost of construction materials and oil has a significant impact on the cost of maintaining and constructing roadways. In addition to rising costs, the county’s aging roads and structures are increasingly in need of reconstruction, rehabilitation or replacement, further adding to the already long list of needed improvements to the roadway system. The division also needs to plan for capital funding to keep its maintenance facilities functional and reliable. Unfortunately, revenues are not keeping pace with inflation, or in some cases are decreasing due to the elimination or reduction of key revenue sources. In the coming years, it is vital that King County find additional revenues to preserve its road and bridge infrastructure and continue delivering safe and reliable travel for the public.

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