PORT TOWNSEND — Be prepared to face more road construction work during the next five months in Port Townsend.
A $3.5 million paving and construction project is slated to begin Monday on state Highway 20 along a six-mile stretch between the ferry terminal and the Four Corners Road intersection.
This portion of Highway 20 has cracks and ruts in many places that can lead to potholes and a deterioration of the road surface, said Tina Werner, state Department of Transportation communications manager for the Olympic Region.
Crews also will install 13 new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible ramps, which improves access for pedestrians and people with disabilities.
Beginning Monday, daytime shoulder closures will allow crews to set up construction signs and prepare the site, Werner said.
Drivers can expect a “moving” construction zone with a single alternating lane of traffic escorted by a pilot car between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. Some daytime delays also can be expected as crews build the ADA accessible ramps on sidewalks.
“With regards to bicycle striping, we are working with the city of Port Townsend to provide bicycle lane marking where [Highway] 20 approaches some intersections,” Werner said.
Werner said the project will extend the life of the highway and provide a smoother ride for the approximately 15,000 vehicles that travel through the area every day.
“The state has coordinated efforts with the city of Port Townsend to make the community as aware as possible of the work on [Highway] 20,” Warner said.
“We are working extremely hard during overnight hours to have the least amount of daytime impact to residents and travelers.”
Warner said that drivers should plan plenty of time to reach their destinations, especially if their plans include the ferry to Coupeville.
Daytime road resurfacing has begun on Highway 20 in Coupeville from the ferry terminal to state Highway 525/ East Race Road.
Crews are working during the day grinding down some of the sections of road to remove areas where potholes are forming and sealing cracks. Oil and rock will be added to the pavement to create a new surface. New reflectors and striping will be added. There will be lengthy delays throughout the work zone.
The Coupeville job is anticipated to be completed in late summer.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-3225 or a jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.
