Crews are finishing the new pedestrian bridge over the thoroughfare as well as improvements under the Interstate 5 overpass a short distance to the east.
Both projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of February, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.
“Everything is always weather dependent in the construction business,” county engineer Dale Rancour said.
The pedestrian bridge is the second of three spans to bridge the gap between the northern and southern legs of the Chehalis Western Trail. The first bridge opened over Interstate 5 in early 2007. A third bridge over Pacific Avenue is planned.
Construction on the 180-foot-long bridge over Martin Way began this summer. Pease and Sons Inc. of Tacoma is the general contractor. Thurston County is managing the project. Federal grants will pay for it, with an estimated cost of about $1.5 million.
Thurston County took over ownership of the trail’s northern leg from the state Department of Natural Resources. The segment runs from Martin Way to the Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area.
Keith Eisner, a county spokesman, said planning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin soon.
Under the I-5 overpass, crews from Tri-State Construction Inc. of Bellevue have moved sidewalks behind the bridge columns to make room for bike lanes and to double the length of the left-turn lanes to improve traffic flow. The project also includes a stormwater treatment pond to capture stormwater and to reduce pollutants entering Woodland Creek.
Kim Mueller, an assistant project engineer for the Washington State Department of Transportation, said crews still need to stripe the bank and turn lanes, finish electrical work on the replacement traffic signals and install handrails along the sidewalk.
The cost is $2.4 million. WSDOT, which is managing the project, will pay $1.7 million. The city of Lacey will contribute more than $761,000.
Christian Hill: 360-754-5427
chill@theolympian.com
