State DOT Gives Up On Remaining Re-Paving Of Trestle Into Everett

Word in today from Washington DOT that they have given up trying to finish re-paving the westbound Hewitt Avenue Trestle into Everett until sometime next year.

The State will try again next year.

EVERETT – Thanks to cooler temperatures and forecasted rain, people in Snohomish County will need to wait until next year before they can fully enjoy smooth travels from one end of the westbound US 2 trestle to the other.

Rather than risk the quality and integrity of the roadway, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will postpone the remaining two weekend closures of the US 2 paving projectuntil next spring.

During those closures, the remaining half-mile section of the US 2 trestle will be repaved between the Snohomish River and Interstate 5, work to repair the trestle structure and expansion joints is also planned. The work will be scheduled at a later date.

Weather-sensitive work 
WSDOT’s contractor, Lakeside Industries, cited the fall weather played a major factor in their decision to postpone, citing colder temperatures and overnight moisture as the biggest obstacles.

“Everyone involved in this project is committed to doing it right,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Mark Sawyer. “Weather poses a big risk with overnight fog and dew preventing the waterproof matting from properly adhering to the structure – which is needed to ensure the roadway quality lasts many years and won’t deteriorate prematurely.”

Project accomplishments
During the project’s four completed weekend closures, crews:

• Repaved 2.5 miles of westbound US 2 from Bickford Avenue to I-5.
• Repaved 1 mile of eastbound US 2 between State Route 204 and Bickford Avenue.
• Installed enough waterproof matting to cover nearly seven football fields.
• Repaired portions of the trestle structure to reduce the need for potential emergency work.

In the coming weeks, westbound US 2 will reduce to one lane for expansion joint work on the newly paved portions of the highway. There will also be full road and ramp closures for permanent striping work. Signed detours will be in place.

Travelers can check the Snohomish County Construction page or sign up for email updates to find out when those lane reductions are scheduled.