U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Washington Division
On April 5, the Washington Division Office signed the FHWA fiscal year (FY) 2017 TIGER IX Grant, for the Bridging the Valley: Barker Road Grade Separation Project in the City of Spokane Valley. The grant of $9,020,149 is to replace an existing at-grade crossing at Barker Road with an overpass, close a second at-grade crossing at Flora Road, and replace the intersection of Barker Road and Trent Avenue with a roundabout. The FY 2017 TIGER program gave special consideration to projects which emphasized improved access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation for communities in rural areas. Washington received one out of the 41 TIGER IX FY 2017 projects awarded. This is the 10th TIGER project awarded to Washington State since the original TIGER Program in 2009. This project is to be completed in two phases, a base phase and an option phase one.
On April 8, the Washington Division Office signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the I-405, Tukwila to I-90 Vicinity Express Toll Lanes (ETL) Project. The project proposes tolling and will add one lane to I-405 in each direction for about nine miles beginning on I-405 near state route (SR) 167 and to approximately one mile north of I-90. The existing HOV lane on I-405 and the additional lane will be operated as a two-lane ETL system. The project will also add a general purpose (GP) auxiliary lane to southbound I-405 at two locations. The project will connect to the existing ETLs currently in operation on the north end of I-405 from the City of Bellevue to the City of Lynnwood. The purpose of the project is to provide a reliable trip choice for I-405 users by: increasing vehicle capacity and person throughput; improving reliability for transit; improving access for I-405 users; reducing project-wide congestion; and improving safety performance. WSDOT will deliver the project through a Design-Build contract. WSDOT plans to build the project along with the I-405 Downtown Bellevue ETL Project as part of a larger construction contract known as the I-405 Renton to Bellevue Widening and ETL Project. When completed, both projects will connect to other ETLs on the north and south to create a 40-mile toll system on SR 167 and I-405 between Auburn and Lynnwood. The Legislature, through Connecting Washington, funded $1.22 billion in improvements for the south end of I-405, including the I-405/SR 167 Interchange Direct Connector Project. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019 and be completed in 2024.
On June 18, the Washington Division and Resource Center (RC) staff kicked off an air quality analysis for the North Spokane Corridor (NSC) project in Spokane, with our Washington state and local air agency partners. The air quality analysis, triggered by a NEPA re-evaluation and required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will be a “hot-spot” analysis focused on PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter). PM10 is a listed National Ambient Air Quality Standard pollutant. The RC Air Quality (RC AQ) team, led by Dr. Michael Claggett, is heading up the modeling for the analysis. The RC AQ Team is providing assistance to the Division and the State with; technical representation at interagency consultation meetings, preparing a modeling plan for the nine-step analysis process, and completing the analysis process in coordination with WSDOT. Substantial progress has been made on constructing the model input files (highway configurations, emissions modeling, meteorology data processing, and receptor locations). Initial model runs are expected to begin shortly, with the goal of wrapping up the analysis this fall or early winter.
A total of 247 projects were inactive in the third and fourth quarters of FFY2019 (119 and 128), representing an inactive percentage of 2.8% and 3.3%, respectively. FHWA’s quarterly target is under 2% inactivity of total obligated Federal funds. The quarterly inactivve percentage is found by dividing all projects inactive (projects with no expenditures processed for 12 months or more) unexpended obligation by each state’s total annual apportionments.
Environmental Approvals: 2 (Documented CEs, Endangered Species Act, 4(f), 106, etc.) for various projects throughout the state.
Design Approvals: 7 (Basis of Design, Design Analysis, Project Development Approval, Methods & Assumptions, etc.) for various projects throughout the state.
Interchange Justification Report Approvals: 1 - SR 18 and I-90 Interchange.
Financial Plan Update Approvals: 1 - Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement.
Miscellaneous Construction Approvals: 2 - Time Extensions for Local Agency Emergency Relief Projects.Change Order Approvals: 1 - SR 530 Trafton and Schoolyard Creek.
WSDOT Completes Two-Week Bridge Inspection Training. During March 2019, 28 individuals took part in and successfully completed WSDOT’s Two-Week Bridge Condition Inspection Training (BCIT) course that has been cerô€†Ÿfied by FHWA for Washington. Attendees included individuals from WSDOT’s Bridge Office, Tacoma Power, Port of Seattle, eight different local agencies from around the state, and four different consulting agencies that inspect in Washington. This course is considered an equivalent to the National Highway Institute (NHI) Two-Week Bridge Inspection Course and is specific for aspiring Team Leaders and Bridge Inspectors here in Washington. WSDOT is anticipated to host this course annually in March.
WSDOT Holds DDSA Using IHSDM Workshop in Olympia. On April 10-11, WSDOT and the Washington Division office participated in a FHWA Resource Center (RC) sponsored two-day workshop on Data-Driven Safety Analysis (DDSA) using the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM) software tool. The workshop highlighted the importance of using predictive analysis and covered the capabilities and limitations of the software when integrating into safety and design decision-making. The workshop also demonstrated potential applications of IHSDM and how the tool can be helpful in WSDOT’s work flow process. WSDOT let the workshop energized by the possibilities of using IHSDM as a tool for the predictive analysis method and incorporating it into their work flow process.
RC Seminar in Washington State. On June 11-14, FHWA RC’s Mark Doctor and Elliot Moore held two sessions of the Design, Evaluation and Approval of Interstate Interchange Improvements seminar in Washington state. One session was held on the east side of the state in the Yakima area., and the second session was held on the west side in Tumwater. Each session of the seminar was two days in length. The seminar focused on interchange type, FHWA’s policy on Interstate access, geometric design features of interchanges, the process for FHWA approval of Interstate access changes, and operational and safety analyses on interchange projects. Participants were from WSDOT, consultant firms, and the Washington Division.
Federal Land Transfer Peer Exchange. Members of WSDOT’s Office of Real Estate Services, along with the Division Office’s Right of Way Program Manager, Dave Leighow, participated in the second of two highly successful Peer Exchanges on the federal land transfer (FLT) process held in Vancouver on June 12-13. Among the attendees were staff from the U.S. Department of Interior (Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service), the U.S. Forest Service, and the General Services Administration. All the attending agencies, both federal and state, gave presentations on their roles in the FLT process and provided a network for follow-up that will greatly benefit the transfer of necessary portions of federal lands by easement through FHWA to State DOTs for highway projects.
Pavement Design Policy Peer Exchange. The Washington Division and WSDOT Pavement Engineers participated in the 4th Pavement Peer Exchange sponsored by FHWA’s RC. The successful Peer Exchange was held June 13-14 in Portland, OR. The State DOT and FHWA peers from Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas discussed strategies to make the pavement design more efficient, reliable and sustainable at the present and into the future.
WSDOT and the Washington Division with assistance from the FHWA RC conducted site visits in three of six WSDOT Regions to review guardrail installation procedures. The discussions during the field visits highlighted proper installation procedures and areas of potential improvements. As a follow-up to the field reviews, WSDOT took immediate measures by directing the Region maintenance staff to address critical items that were noted. This assessment has also motivated WSDOT to schedule additional state-led guardrail assessments covering the rest of the state.
During the week of September 9-13, the Washington Division and the FHWA RC organized a Peer Exchange between the Maine DOT, WSDOT, Oregon DOT, Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD), and the FHWA Washington, Oregon, and Maine Division Offices. Washington Division and RC biologists, Cindy Callahan and Marella Buncick, facilitated a one-day meeting, hosted by WFLHD in Vancouver, at which all the participants shared information about correction of fish barriers. The following day the participants were able to tour three WSDOT fish barrier projects that are complete or under construction. The Maine contingent was also interested in hydroacoustics — the impacts of noise from in-water pile-driving on aquatic species and how it is being addressed in Washington State. Staff from WSDOT’s Noise and Air group, from FTA’s Region 10 office, and from Washington State Ferries (WSF), presented information on the latest hydroacoustic science and mitigation strategies. WSF also shared their experience with pile-driving as part of the replacement of Colman Dock. The group took a tour of the active project and finished the day with a ferry ride. The participants in this peer exchange learned a lot, and made connections that will be very helpful in our continuing work to ensure our transportation facilities are not blocking access to habitat for salmon on both coasts.
On Thursday, August 8, Washington Division’s Financial Manager, Rick Judd, presented at Congresswoman Jaime Herrera-Beutler’s 2019 “Guide-to-Grants” Seminar held in Vancouver. Staff for Congresswoman Herrera-Beutler requested FHWA make a presentation on the competitive grants in the federal-aid program available to local agencies. Seven different federal agencies participated in the seminar to discuss grant opportunities in health, rural development, transportation, and several other programs. The audience was made up of staff from local agencies and Ports with over 120 participants attending, including Congresswomen Herrera-Beutler for the first portion of the seminar.
On April 10, the Washington Division approved WSDOT’s comprehensive Hydraulics Design Manual (HDM) Update. Beginning in April 2018, the Washington Division, RC, and Headquarters personnel worked collaboratively with WSDOT Hydraulics staff to successfully complete the update/revision. The $100,000 to fund the update to the Hydraulics Manual came from the Washington State Transportation Innovation Council (WA STIC) and incorporates goals of FHWA’s Every Day Counts 4 (EDC-4) initiative on Collaborative Hydraulics: Advancing to the Next Generation of Engineering (CHANGE).
The WA STIC met on May 15 and September 24 in the Washington Division in Olympia. Meeting topics included: 1) A demonstration from UW on the Low Volume Pavement Rehabilitation Online Scoping Tool (LVPROST) for local agencies, a project that was funded with STIC Incentive funds; 2) A review of all the EDC Programs and funding opportunities [STIC Incentive Program, AID Demonstration Program, and Accelerating Market Readiness (AMR) Program]; 3) A review of the EDC-5 Innovations and baseline report; and 4) A discussion of sharing EDC programs, results of the STIC incentive projects, and the AID Demonstration Projects at WSDOT’s Innovations Conference scheduled for November 20. The LVPROST should be available for use this fall and will be showcased with other EDC innovations at the Conference. It was also decided at the meeting to circulate project proposals and vote via email for the FY20 STIC Incentive Program.
| For more information contact: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dan Mathis Division Administrator FHWA Washington Division |
Bruce Moody Program Management Analyst FHWA Oregon/Washington Division |
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