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Michael White 206-819-5738 “Policies are many; principles are few. Policies will change; principles never do” ____________________________________ From: Jw5ft0@aol.com To: White1RE@aol.com Sent: 5/7/2011 4:48:19 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time Subj: Fwd: SR 520 - Bridge Replacement and HOV Program Update IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED. ____________________________________ From: wsdot@service.govdelivery.com To: jw5ft0@aol.com Sent: 5/6/2011 5:09:26 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time Subj: SR 520 - Bridge Replacement and HOV Program Update SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program MAJOR CLOSURES: SR 520 floating bridge, highway shutting down in June We’ll need drivers’ help during two weekends in June when construction will completely close the SR 520 floating bridge and highway. The closures are planned between I-405 in Bellevue and Montlake Boulevard in Seattle. Lanes close from 11 p.m. Friday, June 3, to 5 a.m. Monday, June 6, and the same times June 17-20. About 166,000 vehicles travel SR 520 on a summer weekend, and drivers will need to make other plans. We expect heavy congestion as drivers shift their routes to I-5, I-90 and I-405, so the best bet is to plan ahead and leave plenty of time. Crews will be carving a deep trench across all lanes of traffic on SR 520 in Bellevue to build the first of several new _fish-passable culverts_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/MedinaTo202/MedinatoSR202EnvInfo.htm) . The work is part of $306 million in construction for the _Eastside Transit and HOV Project_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/MedinaTo202/default.htm) . Heads-up: This round of closures in June is just the beginning. Monthly weekend closures of the SR 520 floating bridge are likely through the end of this year and during the next three years of construction. We’ll announce dates as they are finalized. Flexible schedule, incentives offered to SR 520 floating bridge contractors We’re just a month away from a major milestone for the _SR 520 floating bridge project_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/I5ToMedina/NewSR520Bridge.htm) . Proposals are due June 8 from three competing contractor teams vying for the $600 million to $750 million project. We remain committed to opening the new floating bridge to traffic by December 2014, and are offering incentives to the contractor teams to meet that goal. In discussions with contractor teams, we heard that the level of risk associated with the contract schedule could result in higher bids for building the project. After thorough discussion, we are allowing contractors to propose a flexible schedule that opens the bridge to traffic by July 31, 2015, as well as providing financial incentives of up to $2.5 million for completing bridge work as early as Dec. 1, 2014. All remaining work on the project, including demolition and removal of the old 520 bridge still must be completed in 2016. We expect that by lowering the risk associated with the schedule that contractors can lower their bid prices. Read more in our _news release_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2011/05/06_SR520_FloatingBridgeIncentivesSchedule.htm ) . I-5 ramps closing at Mercer Street this weekend, May 6-9 The Seattle Department of Transportation’s _full weekend closure_ (http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm) of the I-5 on- and off-ramps at Mercer Street as part of the _Mercer Corridor Project_ (http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm) begins at 11 p.m. Friday, May 6. The ramps will remain closed through 5 a.m. Monday, May 9. At the same time, SDOT and WSDOT will close the I-5 on-ramp at University Street to ease congestion around the closed Mercer Street exit lane. Travelers are encouraged to plan ahead and use alternate modes of transportation. Detour routes will be clearly marked and detour route maps are available on the project _website_ (http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm) . Looking ahead, May 20-23 is the next weekend closure of the I-5 on- and off-ramps at Mercer Street. Closure hours are expected to be from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Demolition, tree clearing start SR 520 Eastside construction We recently _demolished_ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157626577774550/) the old toll administration building south of SR 520 in Medina, taking down a half-century-old relic of the days of cash toll collections. Inside was a _walk-in bank vault_ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/5655342636/in/set-72157626577774550) with 6-inch-thick concrete walls where cash was stored until tolling ended in 1979. With all-electronic tolling planned for SR 520, drivers won’t need cash and will instead pay tolls at highway speeds. Construction crews now are focusing on tree clearing, starting with a small area north of the highway in Medina. The look and feel of the highway is important to us. Crews are only clearing what they must to create a work zone and allow for the _wider corridor_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/MedinaTo202/MedinatoSR202Trans.htm) , which will have full shoulders, two general-purpose lanes and a transit/HOV lane in each direction and better interchanges. Trees and brush removed can be mulched and used for the project, and some will go to Everett to help power the Kimberly-Clark paper mill. _Night closures:_ (http://wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/King/Construction/I90AndSR520.htm#SR520) One lane in each direction of SR 520 in Bellevue will close nightly May 9-14 as crews install a concrete safety barrier to protect workers from traffic during construction. Eastbound closures are from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Lake Washington and 84th Avenue N.E. Westbound closures are from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. between 92nd Avenue N.E. and Lake Washington. Construction closures and updates are posted _online_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/MedinaTo202/MedinatoSR202Construction.htm) . Alaskan Way Viaduct: Just two lanes in each direction in SODO starting May 16 We’re reducing the Alaskan Way Viaduct to _two lanes in both directions_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR99/HolgateToKing/99LaneReduction.htm) between the West Seattle Bridge and Seattle’s stadiums starting Monday, May 16. This will provide space for crews to continue construction of the new southbound SR 99 roadway. The southern mile of the viaduct will remain two lanes in each direction through 2013 and possibly longer, until the _central waterfront portion_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/centralwaterfront.htm) of the viaduct is replaced. In order to reconfigure the lanes, crews will close the Alaskan Way Viaduct between the West Seattle Bridge and Battery Street Tunnel the weekend of _May 14 and 15_ (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR99/HolgateToKing/99LaneReduction.htm#weekend) . Drivers will be able to access the stadiums and Pioneer Square using I-5 and First and Fourth avenues. If you have comments or want to know more about the program, please e-mail sr520bridge@wsdot.wa.gov or call 1-888-520-NEWS (6397). ____________________________________ STAY CONNECTED: (http://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/) (http://www.f acebook.com/WSDOT) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/) (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/rss/) (http://twitter.com/wsdot) (http://www.youtube.com/wsdot) (https://service.govdelivery.com/service/multi_subscribe.html?code=WADOT) SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: _Manage Preferences_ (https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOT/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1) | _Unsubscribe_ (https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOT/subscriber/edit?preferences=true#tab1) | _Help_ (mailto:support@govdelivery.com) This email was sent to jw5ft0@aol.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: WSDOT · 310 Maple Park Ave SE · Olympia, WA 98504 · 360-705-7000 (http://www.govdelivery.com/portals/powered-by) (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mohandasga109075.html)