SOAP LAKE — Crews have started work on two major street improvements in Soap Lake, and a third is scheduled to start next month. The installation of a lighted crosswalk at Southeast Third Avenue and South Daisy Street (State Route 17) has been completed.

Soap Lake Mayor Alan DuPuy said work has started on Marina Way, which provides access to Smokiam Park from Northeast First Avenue. Storm drains, sidewalks, curbs and gutters will be added and the road will be paved to the intersection with SR 17. The block of First Avenue adjoining East Beach Park will be upgraded to the intersection with SR 17. Construction crews started last week.

“They’re making a lot of progress,” DuPuy said.

Demolition is complete and excavation has started for the storm drains. Crews also will be working on upgrades to West Main Avenue between South Ginkgo and South Cherry streets. Sidewalks will be replaced on one side of the street and that section of Main Avenue will be repaved.

The third project starts in August; crews will be putting a coat of scrub seal on streets around town. Scrub seal is similar to chip seal, but includes a step to push the rock and tar material into existing cracks. Scrub sealing should extend the life of the streets longer than chip seal, DuPuy said.

“That’s going to be pretty extensive. All throughout the city,” he said. 

The crosswalk project is designed to make it safer to cross SR 17, Du Puy said; sidewalks on the west side were upgraded also. In addition, among other things the project improves access to Paul Lauzier Community Park from residences on the east side of the street. 

Even though there’s still a lot of summer to go, many road projects are winding down throughout the region. 

Roads in Grant and Adams counties were part of an extensive Washington State Department of Transportation crack-sealing and pavement repair project that’s almost complete. Crews upgraded State Route 281A, the cutoff to the freeway north of George; sections of State Route 26 from the Grant-Adams county line to Othello and State Route 28 between Rock Island and Quincy. All that’s left is a couple days of repairs, which will require traffic control. Sebastian Moraga, WSDOT communications consultant, said that work hasn’t been scheduled yet.

Part of the SR 26 project involves pre-leveling work from Vantage to Othello. That work will be completed by mid-September, Moraga said.

State Route 28 near Quincy and another section near Ephrata, SR 26 near Othello and SR 24 between Othello and Mattawa are part of the WSDOT Strategic Preservation Project. That involves repairing and paving sections of the road and adding a center rumble strip. It’s scheduled for completion by Aug. 22.

The paving is complete on the seven-mile section of SR 17 where it runs through Moses Lake, with the finishing touches completed by early August, Moraga said. 

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].