Pierce County announced today that construction is scheduled to begin next year on a $3 million project to replace the Vaughn Bay bridge on the Key Peninsula.

The new bridge will be a single span, prestressed, post tensioned, concrete girder bridge that will be 219 feet long. The bridge and roadway will consist of two 12 feet wide travel lanes and two 6 feet wide shoulders.

Stormwater treatment embankments will be installed at several locations to treat runoff from stormwater.

According to the county, the project will provide improvements to South Vaughn Bay Road at its crossing of Vaughn Bay. Workers will remove the existing five span bridge, and reconstruct the new bridge and approach roadways.

In October, the county reported preliminary engineering was complete, final engineering was underway, and right-of-way plans and acquisitions were complete. Coordination is on going to determine a schedule of potential intermittent high voltage power outages that may occur during construction.

The $3 million project is being paid for by the Federal Bridge Replacement Fund (approximately $1.69 million) and the Pierce County Road Fund (approximately $1.29 million).

For more information about the project, visit http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/pc/abtus/ourorg/pwu/fieldeng/bridge/crp5352eng.htm .