The call came at 1 a.m., but King County Roads Services Division Maintenance Supervisor Tony Ledbetter didn’t hesitate to throw on his clothes and drive 30 miles in the dark stormy weather to see for himself. “One of my acting crew chiefs called me at home and said ‘Tony, this bridge in Upper Preston doesn’t look right. I think we should close it, but I don’t want to cut people off. I need you to check it out.’ “ Knowing how experienced his people are when it comes to county roads and bridges, Ledbetter didn’t wait. He told the crew chief to close the bridge and then he hopped in his car to see it for himself. When Ledbetter got to the scene on Upper Preston Road during the early morning hours of Nov. 6, he agreed with the assessment his crew had made. Good thing, because 20 minutes later a chunk of the road approaching the bridge slid into the Raging River. In the week that followed, even more of the road has slipped away near the bridge and in another location in Upper Preston. “The experience of our staff saves lives,” said Ledbetter. “If that operator hadn’t been out checking around the clock, and if he hadn’t questioned the condition of the road, someone could have driven off the road and into the river.” The Maintenance Section’s repair and patrol crews have been run ragged since the heavy rains began on Sunday, Nov. 5. The crews went immediately to 12-hour shifts and began canvassing the county closing roads, clearing drains, and keeping a watchful eye on dozens of dangerous situations. “Getting right on these problems is what saves lives and property, and we do our best,” said Ledbetter. “In North King County, we had one area where we were running pumps to keep homes from flooding. In the south end, we had our eyes on a crevasse that was developing alongside a county road.” 
Although the crews are busy during the height of a storm, they are even busier once the waters begin receding. That’s when they can really get in to assess damage and begin making permanent repairs. “We have to run an assessment on the transportation network throughout the entire unincorporated area. Roads, shoulders, culverts, bridges, bridge supports and even utility lines – we have to check it all,” said Ledbetter. With a flooded road, Ledbetter said there are three main areas to focus on once the water goes down. First, the crews check for washouts and undermining to make sure it is safe for immediate travel. Then, they remove debris and mud to make it passable. Finally, they assess the road for any long-term repairs needed to the shoulders and drainage systems. Sometimes, they need to do more than clean-up and initiate repairs. In Upper Preston, where repairs to the road and a bridge are ongoing, the division is working to provide temporary access so emergency vehicles can serve the 200-home neighborhood. They also have to staff the phone lines to keep up with residents’ calls and concerns. Ledbetter said the exchange is two-way. “The citizens are providing us with constant flow information regarding road conditions, which is great because we can’t be everywhere at once,” said Ledbetter. “And in turn, we try to return calls and let them know what we are doing to fix the situation, which they really appreciate.” That partnership between the Roads Division and the public will be important again this week, as the forecast calls for more rain starting Wednesday. To report problems 24 hours a day, call (206) 296-8100 or (800) 527-6237. |
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One bit of good news in the wake of our stormy November, is that the King County Road Services Division completed this year’s scheduled repaving work just before the bad weather hit. The county’s annual overlay program was completed by the end of October. In all, 123,000 tons of asphalt was used to overlay 64 miles of roads, of which 43 miles were in unincorporated King County and 21 miles were in the jurisdiction of cities and utilities. This was a nine percent increase in total miles overlaid from the 2005 program. The partners in this year's overlay included: the cities of Shoreline, Burien, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Duvall, Sammamish, North Bend, Enumclaw, Algona and Covington; plus the Union Hill Water District and Woodinville Water District.
Voters in King County approved the “Transit Now” ballot measure last week to enhance local bus service, and may see results sooner than they expected. Metro will move quickly to add new bus service beginning in February, even before new buses arrive. The first service improvements will address overcrowding during busy off-peak periods and will add more service during the mid-day, evenings and weekends on the following routes: 8, 44, 101, 120, 140, 194, 234, and 245. In a further effort to get more bus service on the street as quickly as possible, Metro has developed a flexible bus purchasing process that will allow the agency to order a new fleet of articulated hybrid buses as early as next spring.
Metro will adjust its service next week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Sunday schedules will be in effect on all routes on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23. Buses will operate on a reduced weekday schedule on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24; and some commuter routes and selected trips in the University District will be cancelled. Metro customer service offices will be closed on both days. For all the details on holiday transit service, visit Metro Online.
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Now that the water is receding from roads following last week's major flooding, crews are getting their first good look at what's left behind. As of Monday, Nov. 13, the King County Road Services Division reports damage to nine roads and bridges, with two roads and a bridge in the Upper Preston area the most severely damaged.
During construction, the far right lane of I-90 will be closed. Once the work is completed tomorrow, a barrier will be added to separate the makeshift access road from oncoming traffic. Initially, the road will provide access to emergency vehicles and for the delivery of critical necessities, such as food, fuel and emergency medical services, given the steep grade up to I-90. However, the county will continue to explore ways to provide broader access once it gages safety and sees how well the temporary road functions.
