County To Hold Meeting on Burlington Northern Overpass Project

Skagit County, WA –   Old Highway 99 North of Cook Road will be closed for up to 18-months while Skagit County demolishes the aging Burlington Northern Overpass and Rebuilds a new one.

Local Residents and commuters are invited to attend a meeting on January 25th, 2017 to learn more about the project that is scheduled to start in late January, and how it will affect the community according to a press release from Bronlea Mishler.

The meeting will be held between 5:00 p.m and 6:30 p.m on January 25th, 2017 in the lobby of  the Skagit County Commissioner’ Administration Building located at 1800 Continental Place in Mount Vernon.  Skagit County Staff will make a brief presentation starting at 5:30 p.m., followed by a questions and Answer opportunity beginning around 5:45 p.m.

Public Works Director Dan Brenetson said ” Old 99 is a key commuter Route and an important truck route. There’s no way to avoid the 18-month closure, so we’re asking folks to plan extra time into their commute, and test out some alternate routes ahead of time.”

According to the release, the existing Old Highway 99 overpass is a timber and steel  structure built-in 1936 by the State Department of Highways and transferred to Skagit County in the 1960’s. Due to its age and the deterioration of the timber and steel, Public Works crews have performed a series of temporary repairs to keep it open to traffic. The old overpass is  considered structurally deficient and functionally obsolete, with a National Bridge Inventory System sufficiency rating of 3 out of 100, which puts this bridge as one of the top five (5) worst rated bridges within Washington State.  The Burlington Northern Overpass carries on average, 6000 vehicles per day, 15% of which is truck and freight traffic.

Construction crews will replace the existing 1,183-foot-long timber trestle bridge with a new pre-stressed concrete and steel span. The new bridge will be taller and wider, and include structural earth walls, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and a storm water system.  The wider bridge will allow more room for bicycles and pedestrians, and will reduce congestion for drivers by providing more vehicle capacity.

Construction crews working for Skagit County will demolish the overpass this winter, starting in late January 2017, and begin construction of the new span in the spring. The Bridge is scheduled to reopen in the Spring of 2018.

During the closure, drivers will use a signed detour on I-5 and Bow Hill Road to avoid the construction area.

Learn more, including County Funding Partners and Sources  by visiting the Skagit County Burlington Northern Overpass Project website by clicking here.

Direct additional questions to Project Manager Jennifer Swanson at (360) 416-1438 or email her at jennifers@co.skagit.wa.us

 

Information and Photos obtained from  Jan. 9th, 2017 Press Release and from the following website: www.SkagitCounty.net/PublicWorksEngineering/BNRRoverpass.htm