PORT ANGELES — A half-mile section of Old Olympic Highway in Agnew will be resurfaced and widened this summer.
The three Clallam County commissioners will consider today a call for bids and a resolution initiating the $1.44 million project to improve the road between its intersection with Barr-Gunn roads and the McDonald Creek bridge.
The county will use a $990,000 grant from the state Rural Arterial Program to help fund the safety improvement.
The 0.51-mile segment will be realigned, regraded and widened from 28 feet to 40 feet. Asphalt, guardrails and irrigation lined will be installed.
The work is scheduled to begin in June and wrap up in October.
Other segments of Old Olympic Highway have been widened to 40 feet in recent years as part of an overhaul of the major arterial between Port Angeles and Sequim.
In 2011, Old Olympic Highway was widened between Spring-Matson and Gunn-Barr roads.
The widening provides 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders on both sides of the road.
Commissioner Mike Doherty asked staff Monday whether the project keeps the wind barrier for the Agnew Soccer Fields, a 7.2-acre county park south of Old Olympic Highway and east of Barr Road.
Assistant County Engineer Joe Donisi said the inner row of evergreen trees on the north side of the soccer fields will be retained.
“It is clear to me — I will verify it — that the inner row is staying, and the outer one is going away,” Donisi said in the commissioners’ work session.
Board Chairman Mike Chapman said keeping a wind barrier for the soccer fields is a “really big deal.”
Construction costs account for $1.13 million of the estimated total, with engineering and right of way acquisition costing another $317,158.
If the call for bids is approved, proposals will be due April 1.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
