Because of a number of contractor selection issues and permitting issues, the Duvall widening work in Renton has been experiencing delays.
At this point our Transportation Department is planning for June, near the end of the current school year. At the hearings some of the residents of the area had suggested last winter that this would be better timing anyways, although we will now be racing to aviod falling behind the opening of the new May Creek Bridge.
Closing Duvall on school summer break allows traffic to reach a new equilibrium pattern before Seirra Heigts students gets seriously impacted, and ensures that any additional time needed (beyond the one year planned closure) occurs in the following summer (when school is out again). It sounds like the School District is also saying that a few days of closure before school lets out would be okay too, in that it would provide a dry run which could help staff better plan for the next school year.
Here is an email with more info:
Mayor and Council:
Earlier this week we met with our Duvall contractor, NW Cascade. Based on the initial meeting, and discussion of a number of factors including the submittal of an NPDES permit application, we are thinking that June is the likely start of the Duvall Ave. closure.
Accordingly, our “early notice” signs have been changed to reflect a June start. There will be additional signs, web updates, and more; but we wanted these early signs to be updated.
We have also discussed this with the school district and this works well with
its transportation staff. School closes June 20 but they still want a few weeks of a “preview” of the traffic so as to better prepare for the September
resumption of school.
Peter
Peter Hahn
Deputy Administrator
Public Works Department
City of Renton
1055 S. Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
425-430-7242
fax: 430-7376
phahn@ci.renton.wa.us
Shhh… don’t publish this too loudly — I’ve *really* enjoyed how light traffic has been since they shut the road down for a few days for the bridge truss placement. I can get from Sunset to Newcastle in less than 10 minutes most mornings, rather than 30 before. Hopefully this is a preview of what it will be like when the expansion is done.
Not so bad
Hey Randy, I am pleasantly surprised. The work started last week, and the impact has been minimal. There is even an improvement for us folks in Summerwind, and around Sierra Heights. I guess the multitudes of commuters to the south of us are slugging there way up 405! This ultimatly will be a win win for all of us!
Renton recylers in the news
One more thing, I am surprised this has not gotten attention on the blog. King County has picked 6 families in the Summerwind Sub division to participate in a month long contest to see who can reduce their garbage by taking advantage of the yard waste process. We got a lot of coverage in the Seattle Times and the channel 4 & 5. Even Dennis was there to monitor the first weigh in. I myself am a envrinonmental skeptic, but this contest is exposing me to the benefits of thinking about land fills, and efforts to reduce. If King County can change my “anti green, overblown global warming” attitde, maybe there is hope! Anyway, pretty cool exposure on goings on here in Renton. (FYI- my buddies now refer to me as a “eco- warrior”