2023-11-13-minutes-public-works-study-session

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Communication with Grant County responders depends on line of sight communication. During our meeting on October 26, 2023, we notified WSDOT of our communication restrictions and requested deployment of portable repeaters be given consideration. We also discussed various emergency response scenarios and all present recognized the difficulty getting to an accident at midspan with only two lanes of travel on the bridge. The narrow travel lanes (11 feet) and the proposed travel speed of 40 miles per hour appear to be problematic and likely to result in multiple accidents throughout deck replacement operations. We also discussed the possibility of a follow-on project — painting the bridge super -structure. Our recent painting experience of Thorp Bridge over the Yakima River suggests painting the Vantage Bridge will be multiple years with ongoing road closures. Alternative routes to I-90 are north to Wenatchee and south to Tri-cities. Added travel time is slightly over one hour in each direction (east and west). Given the project duration is three to four years, it may be prudent to evaluate county legislative solutions dealing with anticipated bypassing traffic. A Transportation Benefit District (TBD) could be formed allowing the use of various traffic control tools such as tolling or intermittent road closures. A deeper legislative dive is required before staff can fully advise the Board of County Commissioners. In the absence of evaluating a TBD, staff will develop a companion road closure plan for deployment when WSDOT closes eastbound traffic at Exit 115 in Kittitas. FISCAL IMPACTS: Staff has updated our mutual aid agreement with WSDOT in advance of the work starting on the bridge. The agreement allows cost share for agreed upon traffic control response measures. ATTACHMENTS: EXHIBIT 1: WSDOT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN Page 2 of 3 Public Works "Work Session Staff Report", 2023