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Week of Dec. 4, 2006
Annual budget approval brings early spring to Roads Division
While the winter season has barely begun for maintenance crews, county road engineers are already getting their first taste of spring as they gear up for another busy construction season.
 Now that the King County Road Services Division’s 2007 Capital Improvement Program has been adopted, work is in full swing to complete engineering design on a variety of road projects in time for the start of a new construction season. Those projects will deliver everything from permanent road repairs to improvements that will rescue vulnerable roads and bridges from further deterioration.
One of the most ambitious programs on the capital improvement drawing board will target the replacement of 57 aging short span bridges in the county over the next 20 years. Bridges considered high priority will be constructed within 10 years rather than 20 years. That effort gets underway in a few months with the replacement of Rutherford Slough Bridge on Southeast 39th Place and Neal Bridge on Neal Road Southeast near Fall City.
Many of the short span bridges slated for replacement were originally built in the 1950s using creosote-treated timbers. The new bridges will be long enough to span rivers and streams properly and will be built of modern concrete construction that is virtually maintenance-free for generations to come. The short span bridge program may even yield an additional benefit – less local flooding because newly designed bridge pilings will be less likely to block debris moving downstream during heavy rainstorms
 Engineers are also nearing design completion on other bridge projects. The Mount Si Bridge on Southeast Mount Si Road and Wagners Bridge on North Fork Road Southeast in the Snoqualmie Valley will both be replaced, with work beginning next year. The bridges are structurally obsolete and will be upgraded to meet modern standards.
Meanwhile, work will continue next year on the Tolt Bridge, spanning the Snoqualmie River on Northeast Tolt Hill Road. The bridge, built in 1922, is located on substandard vertical and horizontal curves, which create sight distance problems.
And as engineers explore long-term fixes for three large sections of failing seawall on Vashon Island, the Roads Division will continue repairing deteriorated seawalls next year that protect Dockton Road Southwest, Southwest Quartermaster Drive and the Vashon Highway.
Engineers are also busy designing projects aimed at improving traffic flow. The county is partnering with the city of Redmond to add technology improvements along the critical Avondale Road corridor, which serves as an important connection between rural areas and SR 520 on the Eastside. And improvements are being planned for the intersection of Northeast Woodinville-Duvall Road and 212th Avenue Northeast and Southeast 304th Street and 124th Avenue Southeast.
While the roads capital improvement program continues the county’s commitment to preserving infrastructure, the Roads Division has been less able to pursue projects aimed at increasing capacity to relieve traffic congestion due to the loss of revenues brought about by the passage of statewide initiatives. In the coming year, the division will continue to pursue financing strategies to improve travel times in an effort to match the progress being made to preserve the county’s road network.
The adopted 2007-2012 Roads Capital Improvement Program totals $379 million for the six-year period, including a new appropriation in 2007 of $61.8 million.
A total of 15.59 inches of rainfall was recorded at SeaTac International Airport during the month of November. That sets a new all-time record for the month. At the height of the major rainstorm and flooding in early November, the deluge resulted in the closure of almost 50 county roads and one bridge. On Nov. 15, a second storm with high winds and more rain hit King County resulting in downed trees and more road closures. Since those major storms, most roads have been reopened, but some require more extensive repairs. The King County Road Services Division is estimating the repair bill at $7.5 million for flood and wind-related damage in November for about 50 separate projects. During the first half of November, the Roads Maintenance Section documented 575 service requests from county residents. For comparison, during the same period in 2005, staff received 198 requests.
The Seattle Seahawks will take on the San Francisco 49ers in a weeknight game on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. at Qwest Field. Because it is a weekday game, fans traveling to the stadium by bus should remember there will be no special shuttles from park-and-rides before the game – only after the action is over. If you’re going to the game, take regular bus service to Qwest Field, and then after the game use either regular Metro service or special shuttles to five outlying park-and-ride lots to get home for $3. Everyone should expect extra traffic congestion that afternoon, particularly with the slightly earlier start of the game. Commuters may want to plan their trip home to avoid the south end of downtown, if possible, or adjust their work schedule to leave a little earlier next Thursday. Bus passengers should expect traffic delays in the downtown and SODO areas. |
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Get in the holiday mood this Saturday with nighttime bus trip to see the holiday lights around Seattle. On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association (MEHVA) is hosting a 2-hour trip to view Seattle’s best holiday light displays. Passengers may even include a familiar-looking, jolly fellow in a red suit. The buses depart at 7 p.m. from the intersection of Second Avenue and Main Street in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. Fares are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (65 and over), and $4 for children (2-11). Metro transfers, tickets, or passes are not accepted. Please, do not bring food or beverages onboard the historic buses. |
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