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Published on November 13, 2024
Western Washington Roads Enhanced: WSDOT Completes 35-Mile Preservation Across Four CountiesSource: Google Street View

As summer fades into the rearview mirror, Western Washington travelers can look forward to a smoother, more durable journey. Following months of construction and maintenance, highways across four counties have recently completed a significant preservation upgrade. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) managed the project, which covered a total stretch of 35 miles of roadway, ensuring long-term benefits for those navigating these routes.

The necessary works, which caused some delays due to one-way alternating traffic, included the application of chip seal — a sort of preventative maintenance to protect the road much like a new roof protects a house. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, "While people patiently waited through one-way alternating traffic, construction crews prepared and installed a highway’s equivalent of a new roof – known as chip seal." This process is akin to applying a fresh, protective layer that binds to the existing pavement to seal cracks and ruts, essentially extending the road's useful life.

Resurfacing took place on several key routes including US 101 near Quilcene, State Route 165 near Carbonado, SR 105 near Aberdeen, and SR 110 near Forks. Chip sealing is weather-dependent, and the dry, warm conditions of the summer months are ideal for this type of work to cure properly.

In a move to streamline the process and save on costs, road signs along these highways were also replaced as part of the broader project. "The project also replaced signs along the highways. Combining work reduced cost and allowed more work to get done at once," read the WSDOT release. The focus on efficiency not only minimized the impact of the construction on daily travel but also maximized the effectiveness of funds allocated for transportation infrastructure improvements.

Seattle-Transportation & Infrastructure