Garco Construction Leader to Build U-District Bridge

Plans for the new U-District bridge.

Garco Construction, Inc., a Spokane company with several multimillion-dollar contracts with the city of Spokane, is in line to build the long-awaited, $9.5 million pedestrian and bicycle bridge from the University District to the East Sprague Business District.

According to the Spokesman-Review, City Council is scheduled to vote on the contract proposal next Monday. Garco’s bid of $9,499,047 exceeds an engineer’s estimate of total construction costs by a little less than 1 percent, but it was the lowest of the seven firms that provided quotes for the project.

Proponents of the bridge say it will provide safe access for students and others to a new medical school in the district, which has seen more than $740 million in investment since 2004. Critics though say the bridge’s price tag is too high and many members of the public won’t use it.

City Council President Ben Stuckart pushed back on claims the project was too costly, saying the bridge would more than make up its price tag in spurring economic development nearby.

Funds for the project come mostly from an $8.8 million allotment by the Washington Legislature in 2015. About $3.1 million will come from receipts of existing sales and property taxes within the University District’s public development authority, created by the City Council in 2012 to channel grant money and tax revenue toward the project.

Construction on the bridge is expected to start in March, with completion scheduled for fall 2018.

New Seattle Bridge Designed to be Earthquake Proof

You've heard a lot about the tunnel being bored under Seattle for a new freeway, but what you haven't heard much about is a bridge now being constructed at the south entrance to the tunnel. According to KING 5 TV though, it's not just any bridge though, it's one that is designed to be earthquake proof.

The bridge will take traffic from northbound State Route 99 into the city. As drivers cross it, they will not see any significant difference between this bridge and traditional ones. This bridge is made largely of the same materials, such as concrete, rebar and pre-stressed concrete beams for the deck.

The joints are what is revolutionary though. They are made designed to be flexible, with reinforcing bars made from a special metal alloy that holds its shape, snapping back to its original position once an earthquake is over. A five-foot bar can stretch as much as five or six inches and return to its previous length. Conversely, once steel rebar is deformed, it holds that shape

The material is expensive and, at current prices, would add five to seven percent to the cost of the structure. The savings could come if an earthquake actually happens though. The bridge would allow the economy and society to recover far more quickly by remaining safe for people to use to keep traffic, and freight, flowing.

Help Design A New Bridge

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is holding an open house to talk about bridges- in particular the design for a new bridge on State Route 290 just east of downtown Spokane. The Spokane River East Trent Bridge is slated to be replaced starting in 2019 so that means design work needs to start now.


The open house is Wednesday, June 22 at the Union Gospel Mission Recovery Center building at 1306 E. Trent. This is the new building at the southeast corner of Trent and Denver Streets (not the main mission building on Erie).  The open house hours are 4-7 p.m.


This is a very early opportunity to talk with engineers and explore design concepts for the project. The open house will not have a formal presentation but staff members will be available to answer questions and explain conepts.

Art Unveiling Below the Sullivan Road Bridge

You are invited to an event on Saturday, April 16 from 10-11 a.m. to unveil some artwork that will brighten up the community.

Students from seven Spokane Valley schools painted 23 four-foot by eight-foot panels with Spokane Valley-themed designs that will temporarily be displayed along the Centennial Trail below the Sullivan Road Bridge during the construction of the new southbound bridge.

Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins will be present for the festivities along with City Councilmembers, and KHQ weather anchor Leslie Lowe. Parking and access to the event is available at the Hansen Center parking lot at the northwest corner of Sullivan and Indiana.

This art unveiling event is to recognize the students and staff from Dishman Hills High School, East Farms STEAM Magnet School, East Valley High School, Pasadena Park Elementary School, Pioneer School, Spokane Valley High School, and Valley Christian School as well as other volunteers who helped bring color to the Sullivan Bridge.

Online Tool Helps Truck Drivers Avoid Getting Stuck Under Bridges

You know those truck drivers you see with their trucks stuck under bridges that didn't have enough
clearance? If you're a truck driver, there's a way to avoid now, and it doesn't involve trying to guess how tall a bridge is. The Washington State Department has a new online tool that allows truck drivers to easily research bridge heights – and potential conflicts – along their route.

The state route bridge vertical clearance trip planner uses GIS mapping to show drivers which bridges on their proposed route should be avoided or approached with caution because heights may vary by lane. It also helps when applying for trip permits.

There are also some potential private-sector uses for the trip planner. Fore more information, here's a WSDOT article on it. To try it out, you can go here. It's kind of fun to play around with.

City Looks At Options For Post Street Bridge- Again

The city of Spokane is taking a new look at the question of what to do with the aging Post Street Bridge. The bridge is old and has had weight restrictions on it for many years. The question is though, would it be a better idea to rehabilitate it or replace it?

The Spokesman-Review's "Getting There" column has information on a plan to do a study on the bridge.

Why Millions Are Spent Every Year to Paint Bridges

Painting your house is a relatively quick, inexpensive upgrade you can make that has a huge impact on how it looks. Painting something like a bridge is completely different.

The Washington State Department of Tranportation (WSDOT) spends millions of dollars to paint bridges every year. They're not just doing it so they look better though, there's a much bigger reason. And why does it cost so much to paint a bridge? There are several reasons.

The WSDOT blog looks at all the factors that go into something seemingly as simple as slapping on a new coat of paint.

Former Transportation Secretary Says Hundreds of Bridges are "Dangerous"

I hope he's wrong but former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is talking to 60 Minutes this Sunday, Nov. 23 at 7p.m. on channel 2 about how hundreds of bridges across the country are "dangerous"- his word. One of the bridges in the story even has a structure built beneath it to catch the chunks of concrete that fall off! Scary. Here's a preview.

How Bad ARE Our Bridges? New Info For Each State Just Released

So how bad are our bridges, really? Well, Washington State is considered the 46th most deficient state when it comes to it's bridges, so that's not too bad really, according to a new report "The Fix We're In For: The State of Our Bridges" by Transportation for America (T4A).

Idaho ranked a little worse and Oregon is close to Washington. But guess who has the worst bridges? And the best? You can read the report at the link above to find out or T4A has provided a really cool map where you just click on the states and the info pops up. Check it out here.

Jon Stewart Takes On "Shabby Roads"

Comedian Jon Stewart recently weighed in on the fight over federal transportation funding in Congress, criticizing lawmakers for opting for a temporary spending patch instead of a long-term extension and for failing to raise the federal gas tax. Stewart even includes a reference to Washington State and not travelling there due to the state of our bridges. This is good stuff.

The Daily Show
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The Skagit Bridge Collapse- One Year Later

I can't believe it's already been a year, but the end of May marked the one year anniversary of the Skagit River Bridge collapse. While a bridge collapse is never a good thing, it brought some reality to our community that we at SRTC had been trying to pass on to the community; that our infrastructure is aging and there is very limited money to fund rehabilitating it so we have to make some tough choices.

After - The completed bridge.

We have several bridges in the Spokane area that need rehabbed or work done to allow them to carry more traffic. Now the question is- how to pay for them.

A temporary fix was made to the Skagit bridge in less than a month, followed by a permanent replacement in 66 days using a creative design-build method that minimized traffic impacts. It's these kind of innovations that we're going to have to look at in the future to get things done.

Here's a recap of the bridge collapse and what happened after, as remembered by Washington State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson.

Roundup of Local Transportation Happenings

Spokane Transit is getting ready to deploy buses equipped with "smart bus technology" that will provide real-time information on bus arrivals. Spokane County is replacing the Bruce Road Bridge. And hide your valuables if you use Centennial Trail trailheads; car prowlers have been busy lately. The Spokesman-Review's "Getting There" column has a roundup of your local transportation news.

University District Bridge Public Open House Tomorrow

It's been a lively topic of debate lately so the City of Spokane is seeking input on the proposed University District Bridge through an open house to be held this week.

The meeting is Thursday, May 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the WSU Spokane South Camputs Facility, room 100 at 412 E. Spokane Falls Boulevard. At this open house, staff will provide a progress update, answer questions and take input.

The University District is targeted for new and re-development growth.  The vision is to see the southern area of the district developed into a vibrant mixed use area that would provide housing and services for the college campuses to the north and the Medical District on the south.

The BSNF railroad bisects the University District and separates the commercial and multi-use area from the institutional area, breaking up the connectivity between the two. The University District Bridge would span this gap. 

For more information on the project, visit universitydistrictbridge.com

WSDOT Secretary Talks Reform

Washington Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson says even if a state transportation package is approved this session, there won't be enough money to address all the needs and we need to have some ideas in mind to deal with the worst maintenance and preservation needs.

Peterson was interviewed by the Redmond Reporter recently and talked about cost overruns on mega projects on the west side of the state, reforms she would like to see enacted to save money and make the small transportation budget go further, bridge maintenance and overall maintenance of the transportation system.

The interview can be read here.

Load Restrictions Removed From Greene Street Bridge Today

Well it's official. The Greene Street Bridge is now strong enough to
support the weight of fully loaded semis and other trucks. Until a project to strengthen it started this fall, the bridge was considered functionally obsolete, or not built to handle today's large loads and additional truck axles.

Epoxy injections were made to fill cracks in the bridge and carbon fiber reinforcing material applied to make the structure stronger. And it all happened in just a little over three months, which is really quick for this kind of work!

 

The $1.7 million total project cost included unexpected expenses for the injections. A full bridge replacement would have cost almost $12 million and taken years. SRTC provided about $800,000 in funds from the Surface Transportation Program for this project and the rest came from the Arterial Street Fund.

The project wrapped up recently and the City of Spokane marked the accomplishment with a ceremony today to take down the load limit signs that stated in the past that the bridge wasn't safe for large trucks and equipment.

Mayor David Condon gave a short speech about the importance of the bridge as a freight route and a representative from the contractor that did the work talked about what it took to retrofit the bridge, then the big moment when the sign came down, followed by a parade of semis across the bridge, all honking their horns and a fire truck with lights going. It was all very dramatic!

Top 13 Transportation Stories of 2013

A lot happened this year in the world of transportation. We got a new U.S. Transportation Secretary, a Washington State bridge collapsed, driverless vehicles and drones became new buzzwords, Bertha started tunneling under Seattle on a tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and much, much more.

But what were the top transportation stories of the year?

The website "Governing" counts down the top 13 transportation happenings of 2013.

Greene Street Bridge Project Starts Friday

A project to increase the life of the Greene Street Bridge starts this Friday, Sept. 13.  The project includes installing fiber-reinforced polymer to the bridge deck and floor beams.  Utility conduit will be installed along the underside of the bridge and other related work will be completed. The work on the bridge will improve its load rating, allowing larger trucks and loads to use the bridge. Ultimately, the project will extend the life of the bridge and upgrade its service capacity.

That means that through mid-October you can expect lane restrictions on the bridge and on Greene Street between South Riverton Avenue and Upriver Drive. The project will continue until mid-November, but traffic impacts are expected only through the middle of October.

The $1.15 million project is funded by local sources, REET ( Real Estate Excise Tax), and federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds.

 

Funding to Replace Sullivan Road Bridge Finalized

Good news for Spokane Valley drivers! Funding has been finalized to replace the aging southbound Sullivan Road Bridge across the Spokane River.  The bridge is the westernmost of the two that cross the river at that location. 

Funding for the $15,349,000 needed to replace the bridge includes:

• $8,000,000 - Federal Bridge Program
• $1,529,000 - Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB)
• $3,500,000 - Washington State Transportation Improvement Board, as well as a commitment of up to $500,000 in contingency funding, and
• $2,320,000 - City of Spokane Valley.

Replacement of the 62-year-old bridge became a priority when an inspection in 2009 rated it as "Structurally Deficient" due to cracking in the girders and deterioration of the concrete driving surface.  Weight restrictions were posted in June of 2011 to prolong the bridge's life and temporary repairs made in 2012, allowing the bridge to stay open without weight restrictions until it can be replaced.

The bridge is a part of a key transportation corridor in the city of Spokane Valley, carrying about 26,000 vehicles each day, including semi trucks traveling to and from the industrial area north of the bridge.  In addition to carrying traffic across the Spokane River, the bridge links the industrial area with I-90 as well as the commercial areas located north and south of the freeway.

The bridge replacement project is expected to go out for bid in January of 2014, with construction likely to begin sometime in 2014. 

 

Skagit Bridge Collapse Had Huge Impact On Canadian Shoppers

The numbers are in and the Skagit Bridge collapse had a huge impact on the number of Canadian shoppers venturing into Skagit and Snohomish county stores.

The Marysville Costco had an 80 percent decrease in the proportion of Canadian license plates observed in its parking lot in June compared to a survey done in March, according to a study from Western Washington University.

The study used students to observe and write down the number of Canadian and U.S. vehicle license plates at more than 25 spots along the I-5 corridor and in Lynden.

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/08/18/3151739/bridge-collapse-has-big-impact.html?#storylink=cpy

The Bellingham Herald has a look at the results.?

Sullivan Rd. Bridge Resurfacing Starts Monday

A project to resurface the concrete deck of the southbound Sullivan Road bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad  tracks south of Marietta in Spokane Valley begins next Monday, August 12.  Work is expected to take about three weeks, winding up in September. During construction, traffic across the bridge will be reduced to a single lane in each direction. 

That means you can expect congestion and delays along Sullivan near the bridge. The project is 100% funded by a Federal Bridge Grant.