Capital Project Report for August 24 – 28, 2020

Final week of August, street construction will affect travel

August 21, 2020 - by Andrea Reiter, Public Works

2020 TBD Projects and 40th Street Sidewalk

The 40th Street Sidewalk and 2020 TBD Projects are underway with stormwater installation work at Laurel/N. Garden and sidewalk installation at 14th/Old Fairhaven Parkway. Flaggers will allow for local access. Expect possible delays when traveling through this project site. For more information, visit the 2020 TBD Projects and 40th Street Sidewalk website or contact Freeman (Fritz) Anthony, P.E., project engineer, at fanthony@cob.org or (360) 778-7924.

2020 Watermain Replacement project

The 2020 Watermain Replacement project will replace a watermain on Donovan Avenue from Connelly Creek to 36th Street, and on 35th Street from Donovan Avenue to one block north. Beginning on August 24, a steel casing will be installed for the watermain under the Connelly Creek culvert.  Once the casing is in place, watermain installation will begin at Connelly Creek and move eastward. The affected blocks will be closed to through traffic, with the exception of Donovan Avenue between 30th and 32nd Streets, which will be maintained as one lane during working hours and returned to two-lane traffic at the end of each day. Flaggers will allow for local access. Expect detours for affected closures. For more information, visit the 2020 Watermain Replacement Project website or contact Craig Mueller, P.E., project engineer, at camueller@cob.org or (360) 778-7922.

Squalicum Creek Reroute – phase 3 and 4 project

The Squalicum Creek Reroute – phases 3 and 4 project will fill in approximately ¾ of Bug Lake and create a new channel to the south, under Squalicum Parkway, in a new culvert. The lake will be converted to its original state as a forested wetland. The project will improve water quality in Squalicum Creek and will provide additional habitat for salmonids while improving riparian habitat. Flaggers will be present near Bug Lake for creation of a traffic bypass in preparation for the new culvert installation. Beginning September 8, traffic will be reduced to a single lane on a gravel bypass road with flaggers present for up to 3 weeks to facilitate installation of a new fish passable culvert. Please expect minor delays. For more information, visit the Squalicum Creek Reroute Project website or contact Craig Mueller, P.E., project engineer, at camueller@cob.org or (360) 778-7922.

Meridian Street Water Quality Improvements

The Meridian St. water quality project on Meridian Street (State Route 539) between Bakerview Road and Stuart Road will install 17 water quality devices to treat roadway runoff. This work will occur at night between 7 PM and 7 AM, Monday through Friday. The highway will remain open with lane closures and lane shifts in place to facilitate construction. Flaggers will be present to provide additional traffic and pedestrian control as necessary. For more information, contact Larry Scholten, P.E., project engineer, at ljscholten@cob.org or (360) 778-7923.

2020 Overlay – Bill McDonald and Britton Road project

The 2020 Overlay – Bill McDonald and Britton Road project is largely complete with paving marking work and site restoration underway along Bill McDonald Parkway and Britton Road. Flaggers will allow for local access and direct travelers to area detours. For more information, visit the 2020 Overlay – Bill McDonald and Britton Road website or contact Freeman (Fritz) Anthony, P.E., project engineer, at fanthony@cob.org or (360) 778-7924.

Annual Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation project (pictured)

The Annual Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation project, with various locations throughout the City, is underway with the CIPP placement, cleanup and restoration to finalize the project. The cured in place pipe (CIPP) crews have begun and expect to be finished in a few weeks with the following order of location 11, 12, 13, 4, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 17, & 10.  Night work will be done with the main line CIPP from August 24-28 in order to minimize the impact on businesses.  Once the main sewer CIPP is in place the crews will then follow with the sewer service line CIPP placement in the same order. For more information and a site map with locations listed visit the Annual Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project website or contact Aric Smathers, P.E., project engineer, at arsmathers@cob.org or (360) 778-7942.

Lake Padden Park – Sewer project

Work to upgrade the sewer facilities and pump stations is nearing completion, as the remaining components are installed and piping is tied over to the new system. The areas affected include the dog park restroom, playground restroom and the pump house. As we move forward with the final phase of this project, the restrooms will be intermittently offline in the coming weeks, but we will have portable bathrooms in place when needed. Please use caution in and around the work zones. For more information, visit the Lake Padden Lift Stations project webpage or contact Larry Scholten, P.E., project engineer, at ljscholten@cob.org or (360) 778-7923.

West Horton project

The West Horton Road project is underway with utility and culvert installation within the Horton Road right-of-way. Construction traffic may be encountered at the connection to Aldrich Road. Expect possible delays when traveling near this project site. For more information, visit the West Horton Road phase 1 website or contact Freeman (Fritz) Anthony, P.E., project engineer, at fanthony@cob.org or (360) 778-7924

Cordata Park – phase 1

Cordata Park construction is near completion. Contractor will need to access the site with small trucks and the occasional large truck delivery to complete punchlist items during the last half of August and first half of September. For more information, visit the Cordata Park project web page or contact project manager Jonathan Schilk at jschilk@cob.org or (360) 778-7000.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)

Drivers can get real-time traffic information on their phone with the  WSDOT traffic app, tracking the WSDOT north Twitter feed, and get advanced information from the WSDOT construction page. For ongoing information on current local projects, check out https://wsdot.wa.gov/projects

Whatcom County

For updates on County projects near Bellingham, visit http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/308/Public-Works. Subscribe to Whatcom County Public Works email newsletter here.

We provide this “capital project report” as a public service based on currently available information. When traveling through a construction area – whether walking, cycling or driving – please be patient, travel with care and always obey flaggers. In dark conditions, please make sure you’re visible to others. Planned road closures and restrictions are necessary to allow for a variety of work including resurfacing, sidewalk construction, water and sewer main work, and utility cuts. Dates, times and work locations may vary, depending on inclement weather or last-minute changes in work schedules. Questions? Contact AskPW@cob.org.


Media Contact

Paul Reed, Construction Manager
City of Bellingham – Public Works
(360) 778-7700
preed@cob.org


More City News >>

Subscribe to City News