State to repave 4 miles of Highway 520 between Bellevue and Redmond | Work will start in March

The state Transportation Department on Tuesday awarded Granite Northwest a contract to repave nearly four miles of SR 520 between I-405 in Bellevue and West Lake Sammamish Parkway in Redmond. As part of the $9.4 million project, crews also will replace crumbling asphalt at the ends of five bridges with new concrete slabs.

“We are committed to prolonging the life of our existing infrastructure and keeping drivers safe,” said WSDOT Secretary Paula Hammond. “This project will preserve the roadway for the 112,000 drivers who use this route each day.”

Starting in March, crews will rebuild the approaches to five bridges on SR 520 between Bellevue and Redmond. They’ll remove deteriorating asphalt and install 10 new concrete slabs to smooth the transition from the asphalt roadway to the concrete bridges. Drivers can expect six to eight weekends of work in March and April when traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.

Crews also will repave both directions of SR 520 between I-405 and West Lake Sammamish Parkway to extend the life of the interstate. Some sections of the roadway were last paved 15 years ago. New pavement will cover wheel ruts where water currently pools on the road. The smoother surface will reduce tire spray and the risk of hydroplaning for drivers.

This $9.4 million project, which includes funding from the 2003 gas tax package, is scheduled for completion in fall 2009. For more information, visit the project Web site at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520/i405ToWLakeSamPaving.

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