Week of May 19, 2008

Airport preps for rehab of Taxiway Bravo

An aerial view of KCIA's main runway.

The taxiways function much like the ramps on a freeway, conveying planes from the hangars and tarmac parking to the two runways. Taxiway Alpha is located on the east side of the field, and Taxiway Bravo on the west. Both are as long, but not as wide, as the main runway.

This summer, thanks in part to a federal grant, Taxiway Bravo will undergo a $12 million upgrade. The engineering design for this project is complete, the bid has been awarded to Icon Materials, and construction is expected to begin in July and last through September.

“Our master plan calls for capital facility improvements to keep the airport functioning as a major aviation center and maintain its viability as an economic engine for the region,” said KCIA Director Bob Burke. “The taxiway upgrades are a critical component to maintaining safety, meeting Federal Aviation Administration standards, and improving the quality of flying in and out of Boeing Field.”

It’s not just the size of the taxiway that makes the project complex. Before the surface can be repaved, the old asphalt will be ground up and recycled. In some places, the sub-surface needs to be reconstructed.

The shoulders must be installed from scratch, carved out of the grassy infield areas. These are becoming increasingly necessary as Boeing Field accommodates some of the largest aircraft in the world. Although the runway is plenty wide for the wheels of the planes in some of the bigger models the engines hang over the grass, which is a safety concern.

KCIA staffers are meeting with airport tenants this week to explain the details of the project and how the work will be staged. The goal is to begin in early July and – weather permitting – finish by the end of September.

Airport managers hope to keep the operational disruptions to a minimum. The long runway will probably be closed for four weekends, and the taxiway closure will be done in phases on weekdays.

In addition to the runway and taxiway upgrades, future plans include repairs to the airport’s vehicle parking lots and road system, along with upgrades for numerous buildings owned and operated by KCIA.

TRAFFIC WATCH: Union Hill Road closed this weekend The King County Road Services Division will be making repairs on Northeast Union Hill Road at 199th Avenue Northeast, which will require the road east of Redmond to be closed to through traffic between 195th Avenue Northeast and 205th Avenue Northeast from 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 24 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 25. Crews will work over the weekend to avoid disrupting commuter and school traffic. Additional work along the curb will be done the following week and will require a lane closure. This additional work will be done during non-commute hours. Last winter, Union Hill Road was damaged by significant storms that caused the roadway to drop approximately 12 inches along the edge and caused damage to a retaining wall that supports the roadway. Repairs are being done in two phases. The first phase must be completed by June 1 to qualify for federal funding. During the road closure, motorists can detour via State Route 202, 204th Place Northeast, 208th Avenue Northeast, and Novelty Hill Road. Memorial Day transit service On Memorial Day – Monday, May 26 – most transit service will operate on a Sunday schedule. One exception is the Elliott Bay Water Taxi, which will operate on a Saturday schedule. The Water Taxi land shuttle, Metro Route 773, will also operate on a Saturday schedule. Metro will provide a direct shuttle between Northgate and the Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center from Saturday through Monday for $2 each way. All Metro offices will be closed on the holiday. For more details on the holiday weekend service, visit Metro Online.

Metro’s Rothwell honored for safe driving Bob Rothwell Metro Transit bus driver Bob Rothwell was recently honored by the agency for 35 years of safe driving. Bus operators mark a year of safe driving whenever they complete a calendar year with no preventable accidents – the National Safety Council’s stringent standard for safety. Rothwell has been driving for Metro since 1967. Rothwell’s record is the longest current award for any full-time operator. Transit Operations Manager Jim O’Rourke said the achievement is all the more remarkable because Rothwell always chooses route assignments in downtown Seattle where the traffic situation is the most challenging. “Bob is a great role model for all his co-workers,” said O’Rourke. “He truly exemplifies Metro’s guiding principle of ‘safety first.’"

Subscribe to DOT Dash

Sign-up to receive an e-mail text version of "Transportation Today," along with other significant DOT news by sending an e-mail to us with subscribe King County DOT Dash in the subject line.