Project starts again in spring

COLUMBIA BASIN — Winter halted a portion of the state Route 17 widening project work but construction crew members continue with Parker Horn bridge work.

Bridge construction continues through the winter, Assistant City Engineer Shawn O'Brien said.

The majority of the work is creating a road bed and paving. As soon as the weather warms up, the crew can start making asphalt again, he said. The crew is expected to resume regular work in the springtime.

One of the next steps in the project is building the support system for the 14-foot sound barrier spanning from Wheeler Road to Nelson Road, O'Brien said.

The three-mile widening project extends from Pioneer Way, over Parker Horn to North Stratford Road, transforming the highway to four lanes, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The $14.6 million road improvement project is paid for by the state gasoline tax. Voters rejected repealing the 9.5 cent a gallon tax in 2005. The gas taxes are paying for the widening of the highway and the replacement of the Potato Hill Road bridge.

The construction project was awarded to Central Washington Asphalt Inc. in August 2006. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in mid-September. The project is scheduled to be completed by fall 2007, the state noted.

The project has several benefits.

The additional lanes help clear up traffic congestion caused by an increased number of semi-trucks and industrial vehicles, the state noted. Traffic signals are improved and a concrete median will separate oncoming traffic for safety.