MI-Reporter.com to link coverage of I-90 Bridge repairs

By Reporter Staff • June 24, 2009 8:55 pm
WSDOT bridge engineer specialist Ralph Dornsife (white hard hat) and project inspector Mike Hanson scrutinize the new I-90 floating bridge expansion joint two months ago at Terminal 30 in Seattle
WSDOT bridge engineer specialist Ralph Dornsife (white hard hat) and project inspector Mike Hanson scrutinize the new I-90 floating bridge expansion joint two months ago at Terminal 30 in Seattle

With another partial closure of the I-90 floating bridge looming, residents and motorists can stay informed of with latest construction-related developments at the Mercer Island Reporter.

On July 2, the Reporter will launch an “I-90 Bridge Repairs” link in our “Community Links” section, located on the lower right portion of the MI-Reporter.com Web site. Commencing on the eve of Summer Celebration, one of the Island’s busiest weekends of the year, the Web page will be dedicated to gathering all information there is to know about construction developments, traffic conditions and more. The Web portal is a collaborative effort by journalists from around the Seattle and the Puget Sound. The Mercer Island Reporter’s parent-company, Sound Publishing, will also aggregate coverage using Twitter at “#I90bridge”

The state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) recently announced a revised construction schedule, beginning work on the westbound lanes of the I-90 Homer Hadley Floating Bridge on July 5. All westbound I-90 traffic will be funneled to the two express lanes starting July 6. The work to replace the bridge’s aging expansion joints is now set to finish by July 20, more than a week faster than originally planned.

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“Finding techniques to speed up this unique work means I-90 traffic will return to normal more quickly,” WSDOT assistant regional administrator Russ East said. “Congestion still is expected to be severe and drivers need to prepare a backup plan to avoid delays for the two weeks of construction. We don’t want drivers sitting in construction traffic any longer than absolutely necessary.”

WSDOT traffic engineers predict delays of an hour or more between Issaquah and Seattle unless enough drivers change how or when they commute.

If the work is completed according to the new schedule, the contractor will receive $510,000. That figure includes the cost of additional labor and equipment to finish the job early. If work takes longer than the new schedule, the contractor will reimburse WSDOT for each additional day of construction.