Laserfiche WebLink
KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMSSIONERS <br />2023 STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: November 13, 2023 <br />TOPIC: Vantage Bridge Deck Replacement Project Update <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Mark R. Cook <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Formulate an action plan complementing the State's emergency management plan. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is preparing to <br />award a bridge deck replacement contract for the Vantage Bridge along Interstate <br />90. <br />• Recently, the County Engineer and Director met with fire/life/safety personnel <br />from Chelan, Grant, and Kittitas Counties along with key WSDOT staff from <br />North-Central and South -Central regions. <br />• Safety and emergency response dominated the conversation. <br />• Should we be considering a legislative response to anticipated bypassing traffic? <br />BACKGROUND: <br />WSDOT desires to start bridge deck replacement operations spring of 2024. The three- <br />year project proposes maintaining two lanes of travel — one westbound and one eastbound <br />(EXHIBIT 1 — EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN). Winter shutdown every year is <br />planned for November 15 — March 15. The following weekends are planned for full <br />bridge access: Memorial Day, July fourth (full week), and Labor Day. One -hour delays <br />are forecast to be common on most weekends with holiday weekends pushing to 90 <br />minutes. Weekend bypassing traffic onto Vantage Highway is likely. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />It is our understanding that WSDOT does not propose staffing the project 2417. It <br />appears that the contractor will be responsible for having a contractor, Traffic Control <br />Supervisor (TCS), present 24 hours during working days. It is possible that there will be <br />no TCS available on weekends unless the contractor is working. <br />Traffic model predictions affirm westbound delays to be likely during weekends with <br />peak westbound traffic on Sunday afternoons. Delays resulting from heavy truck traffic <br />climbing the Vantage grade will likely result in bypassing traffic onto Vantage Highway. <br />Similarly, if eastbound traffic delays approach one -hour, bypassing traffic onto Vantage <br />Highway is expected. A known "hole" in radio coverage exists in Vantage. <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2023 <br />