SEQUIM — A project to resurface West Sequim’s River Road entrance from U.S. Highway 101 to the roundabout at West Washington Street will be done at night Monday through Thursday this week.
Work will be done from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night until completion, said Paul Haines, city engineer.
“The reason we are doing it at night is to minimize the impact,” Haines said, adding that the city notified businesses in the vicinity of the project on Friday.
Access to all businesses will remain open, regardless of whether work is in progress, he said.
The west entrance into Sequim’s commercial district will be open during the day but with some lane shifts possible, marked by barriers and detour signs.
During work at night, Haines said, flaggers will direct motorists through the construction site and into restaurants and other business driveways in the vicinity.
Lakeside Industries of Port Angeles, the low bidder on the project, will resurface the River Road stretch with about 750 tons of asphalt.
The $150,755 project is funded with Sequim Transportation Benefit District dollars, Haines said.
The project will resurface the roundabout and the West Washington Street approach to it, and flaggers will direct westbound traffic beginning at Priest Road, he said.
The existing road surface will have to be ground down in places to the base gravel, where additional wear and tear has taken place, Haines said.
Most of project is an asphalt overlay, he said.
River Road work now will delay more extensive future work that could take up to 10 times longer and be far more costly, he said.
“Hopefully, they will finish it within a few days,” said Haines, but weather could cause work delays.
“This time of year we are holding our breath that we can get it done.”
Lakeside is being given until Nov. 18 to complete the job, taking weather into account, he said.
Clallam County is administering the contract on behalf of the city, Haines said, because the city does not have the road staff.
________
Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
