Road work on schedule for state Route 169 improvement project in Maple Valey

Work this summer to improve traffic flow on Maple Valley Highway has gone well so far and is on schedule.

Work this summer to improve traffic flow on Maple Valley Highway has gone well so far and is on schedule.

As of Aug. 2, electrical conduits and trenches had been installed for utilities on Witte Road to 228th Avenue Southeast. According to Public Works Director Steve Clark, construction crews will begin work on the electrical conduits and bases for street lights. At the same time, Covington Water District crews will make adjustments for the new water lines installed on 263rd and 260th Street.

“There’s always something that’s unforeseen but for the most part nothing out of the ordinary per se,” Clark said. “Construction is moving along.”

Kevin Simmons with KBA, a construction management group overseeing the project, said things are going smoothly.

“We’re marching right along, and the weather is certainly cooperating,” Simmons said. “We have not experienced any unusual. It’s been typical construction.”

Once the installations are finished, Clark said the crews will then move onto roadwork, adding additional travel lanes and area for sidewalks. As part of the project, they will also add retaining walls, which are designed to restrain soil to unnatural slopes, that will separate the road from the parking lots.

Clark added that the project is on schedule to be completed in the spring of next year, though he added that some of the roadwork will halt during the winter, such as adding the final lift of asphalt to the roads. That phase of the project is designed to add a right lane in the south bound direction between Witte Road and 228th Avenue Southeast, including a curb and gutter, bike lane and sidewalk.

“Though there aren’t any specific dates when construction might have a serious impact on traffic,” Clark said, “I imagine when we’re doing some asphalt there will still be some things, but just because of the fact that we’ve got that extra turn lane we can always divert the traffic. There are currently some detours and some closures at night time because of the utility work.”

City staff will be sure to provide plenty of notice to drivers when there will be closures or delays, Clark said.

Simmons said they may plan to do further night work, thought it is not an ideal alternative to day time work.

“The disadvantage is it causes additional noise at that time,” he said. “Artificial lighting is brought in. It does help the work, but it’s not advantageous as day work.”

The improvement project, which first began in June, is designed to relieve traffic congestion along SR 169. The city is paying for the work with grants from the state Transportation Improvement Board and the state Department of Commerce.

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