The Washington State Department of Transportation awarded Tri-State Construction of Bellevue the contract to widen State Route 16 from Union to Jackson Avenues. Tri-State’s $47.3 million bid was the lowest among four proposals submitted.
Crews will break ground in early March. Completion remains scheduled for Spring 2007, to coincide with opening of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Final schedules will be weather-dependent.
Woodworth and Co. of Tacoma was awarded the $3.9 million contract to construct the Pierce County HOV project from 36th Street to Olympic Drive in Gig Harbor. This project will break ground in early April.
These are the second and third of three “nickel” list projects to widen State Route 16 from the Olympic Drive interchange in Gig Harbor to the Nalley Valley Viaduct in Tacoma. Tri-State recently completed major construction on the first portion, a $3.5 million widening project from 6th to Jackson Avenues in Tacoma.
The Washington State Legislature approved $90.5 million the three-part project in 2003, part of the nickel gas tax funding package. The funding includes design, contract administration, environmental assessment, mitigation and construction.
In preparation for construction, utility relocation work continues throughout the project area. The widening project also includes a new walking and biking trail designed to accommodate non-motorized travel, separating it from the busy freeway and city streets, while linking bicycle riders and pedestrians to important connections along the corridor.
Project representatives have held open houses and made project presentations to Tacoma-area neighborhood associations, community organizations, business groups and service organizations. These meeting allowed WSDOT to build relationships with project neighbors and incorporate community design ideas.
Public participation opportunities, community outreach and updates will continue throughout project construction.
When finished, this segment of SR 16 will provide greater traffic capacity that will result in faster and safer travel through the corridor and improved access to surrounding communities.
WSDOT’s Tacoma/Pierce County Core HOV Program consists of 22 projects. The 38th Street Interchange on Interstate 5 was completed in November 2001. The Sprague Avenue Interchange to Snake Lake on SR 16 was completed in September 2002.
