For the Reporter
Old and deteriorating pavement on State Route 167 in Kent is about to get the boot. Work begins next week to repave the northbound lanes between Southh 277th Street and the Green River Bridge.
It’s been 23 years since this one-mile section of SR 167 was repaved. With around 120,000 cars and trucks rumbling over it each day, the roadway is showing its age.
“This paving is long overdue,” said Washington State Department of Transportation Project Engineer Mary Ann Reddell. “There are long cracks, wheel ruts and potholes. Our maintenance teams have done a great job of patching it together, but it’s time for a longer-lasting fix.”
Starting Monday, June 8, contractor ICON Materials will remove the top two inches of existing pavement, repair the roadbed underneath as needed, replace traffic detection devices and then spread a new layer of asphalt. After the asphalt cures for at least three weeks, crews will add high visibility striping.
Work schedule
Because SR 167 is heavily traveled during daytime hours, the paving work will occur overnight when fewer vehicles are on the road.
• Lane closures will begin as early as 8 p.m. six nights a week.
• All lanes will be open by 5 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on Sundays.
• No work will occur on Friday nights.
• The lane closures begin at least one hour after the High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane is deactivated and the lane is open to all drivers.
• The South 277th Street ramp to northbound SR 167 may also be closed up to three nights beginning at 9 p.m.
Drivers should plan ahead for delays and allow extra time to travel through the area. Lane closure information will be available on the King County construction update report. Repaving and restriping northbound SR 167 is scheduled for completion in fall 2015.
Project benefits
Repaving the highway eliminates potholes, cracks and wheel ruts, providing drivers with a smoother and safer ride while saving money on maintenance needs and emergency repairs. Repaving also preserves vital infrastructure for commuters and freight.
This is one of nine pavement-preservation projects planned on area highways during the spring and summer of 2015. Ideally, asphalt should be replaced every 15 years. The asphalt is at least 20 years old on most of the roadways WSDOT is repaving this year in King County.
The 56th edition of the Gray Notebook, WSDOT’s quarterly performance report, notes that the state estimates a shortfall of $750 million for pavement preservation for the next six years, during which funding levels are expected to cover only 40 percent of actual needs.
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