8TH
STREET BRIDGES TO OPEN
The 8th
Street Bridges will open on Tuesday, February 24, 2009.
Both bridges
will open to pedestrians only on the morning of February 24, from approximately
9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. At 2:00 p.m., a brief opening and ribbon cutting
ceremony will be held just west of the intersection of 8th & Cherry
on the east end of the Valley Creek Bridge. Immediately following the ceremony,
vehicle traffic will be escorted by Police and Fire Department vehicles from the
8th & Cherry intersection across the Valley Creek Bridge, continuing
west on 8th Street, and then across the Tumwater Valley Bridge.
Both bridges will then be open to east-bound and west-bound vehicle traffic.
The public is
invited to the opening ceremony. Parking is permitted only in marked parking
areas and spaces.
Detours &
Traffic Control Changes
Motorists are
advised to take extra care and caution as detours are eliminated and traffic
controls are modified.
Highway 101
& Pine Street Extension:
The traffic
light will be disabled and the signal will be permanently removed at a later
date.
Intersection
of 16th & Pine Streets:
This 4-way
stop will remain in place for the time being. Traffic volumes will be monitored
to determine if this 4-way stop will become permanent, or otherwise modified.
8th
& C Street Intersection.
Intersection will be restored to the previous 2-way stop configuration.
Tumwater
Street & Marine Drive Traffic Light.
Traffic light will be disabled. Traffic volumes will be monitored to determine
if traffic signal will be reactivated.
Barricades
at
the intersections of Marine Drive & Cedar Street and at First & Lincoln Streets
will be removed.
NEW
Permanent Traffic Signal
A new permanent
traffic signal has been installed at the intersection of 8th & Pine
Streets. This signal will go into operation on February 24, 2009.
Remaining Work
Rescheduled for Late Spring - Summer
Application of
the sealant and restorative work under the bridges is expected to be done
between June and September and will require closure of traffic lanes when
workers are present. One bridge will remain fully open while traffic will be
reduced to one lane - in only one direction - while work is completed on the
other bridge. It is anticipated that it will take a total of 10 working days
per bridge to complete the work. Work will not be done during the week before
Memorial Day, the 4th of July, the week of the Clallam County Fair
and Labor Day.
The $18.4
million 8th Street Bridges Replacement Project consisted of removing
the previous timber bridges and replacing them with 758 foot long reinforced
concrete structures. The new bridges are 34 feet wide, curb to curb with
12-foot wide vehicle lanes, 5-foot bike shoulders, and 6.5-foot wide sidewalks
on each side. The project also included extensive stormwater systems for stream
protection and wetland restoration. Each bridge features two lookout areas with
views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The contractor
for the project is Parsons RCI, Inc. of Sumner Washington with project
management services provided by Exeltech Consulting, Inc.
The City
greatly appreciates the cooperation and patience of the public during the
construction of this major project and eagerly joins with the community in the
celebration of opening both 8th Street Bridges.
