New US 2 project frets about possible mistaken identity

Bickford to Gold Bar project has its own major closure, wants out from the shadow of 2018 trestle project

By Frances Fedoriska

Similar names. Same highway. Same kind of work. You'll excuse our NULL paving tasks on US 2 in Snohomish County if they are feeling just like the Doublemint Twins. Now the newer project, kicking off this spring, is putting the checklist straight.



"I'm my very own project," the Bickford-to-Gold Bar paving mission said. "I'm no longer the trestle. I'm no longer in Everett. I'm my very own thing, and I wish of us understand that."



The US 2/I-5 to Bickford Avenue mission that started final yr rehabs about three miles of pavement adding the Hewitt Avenue Trestle. That will hold into this construction season and it is a large deal. But the brand new mission needs you to understand it is no moment fiddle.



"Three miles, that is impressive," Gold Bar said. "And little question the trestle is a large deal. But look, I'm repaving nearly 12 miles of all lanes of US 2 among Bickford Avenue in Snohomish and Monroe. That's three-times as many miles. That's fairly good."



The variations do no longer cease there. Known through means of pals as "Bickford to Gold Bar," the mission is within the arms of contractor crews from Granite Construction. This spring and summer time they will:

Remove old, broken asphalt from all lanes of US 2 among Bickford Avenue and Monroe.
Build a 6-foot median separating eastbound and westbound lanes from milepost 3.8 (Bickford Avenue) to milepost 5.85 (near South Machias).
Build a 4-foot median separating eastbound and westbound lanes from South Machias to milepost 12.8 (Fryelands Boulevard).
Replace NULL expansion joints and make any crucial bridge deck maintenance on the Pilchuck River Bridge in Snohomish.
Inspect and make any crucial maintenance to the US 2 bridges over French Creek, Farm Road and Woods Creek.
Improve intersection crossings alongside US 2 among Fryelands Boulevard and Cascade View Drive.
Rehabilitate the asphalt on SR 9 on the US 2 interchange.
Cut centerline and shoulder rumblestrips.
Most work will occur overnight throughout the week.

Cracks and crevices are on full display on this stretch of US 2.

However, to chisel NULL 40-year-old expansion joints out of the Pilchuck River bridge, set up the brand new joints, then inspect, make any vital maintenance and repave the roadway, crews will ought to scale back the bridge to 1 lane for as much as NULL weekends this summer, possible overdue June or September. We're nonetheless running on precise dates but anticipate a few enormous delays throughout these weekends.

The two expansion joints scheduled for removal and replacement this year are original to the Pilchuck River bridge.

Flaggers will change traffic, however the challenge is aware of these weekends will not be easy.



"Look the place I'm located," it said. "I do not have any nice selection routes. I might see a few foremost backups so I want drivers to modify their plans."

The location of the Pilchuck River bridge limits alternative routes. Drivers should alter their plans if
possible to avoid the area during weekend lane reductions or expect massive delays and backups.

What we need from drivers

As quickly as we be certain the dates of the Pilchuck River bridge lane reductions, soar planning to do what you'll be able to to switch your journey plans to store away from US 2 throughout these times. Doing in basic terms one factor differently will assist us hold site visitors moving:

Carpool
Take transit
Move discretionary journey to a non-construction weekend.
Travel throughout non-peak hours. Before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
Be a helper. Share this data with pals and family.
Stay engaged. We will put up the showed weekend lane relief dates on:
Our website
In our weekly e mail replace on Snohomish County projects
Our Twitter account
Or, obtain our cell app for site visitors maps and different data and updates.
This wants to be done


The obstacle understands that it truly goes to be a situation for a lot of people, and there's by no means truly a nice time for this sort of closure. But it is aware of this stretch of street can be feeling its age and with 200,000 folks projected to transfer to Snohomish County within the subsequent 15 years, we cannot afford to wait.

"This stretch of US 2 hasn't been repaved seeing that 1998," it said. "That asphalt in basic terms has a lifespan of about 15 years, and with 40,000 drivers taking this stretch among Snohomish and Gold Bar each day, I want a few critical TLC."



Thank you in advance



We realize there isn't any nice time to cut back a segment of US 2 to 1 lane, however the selection is pricey emergency maintenance that include little or no caution and may most likely require remaining all lanes. We thanks on your continued engagement and figuring out of the want for tasks like this to shield and enhance our highways to deal with the needs of a booming population.