State claims 520 milestone, others ask ‘at what cost?’
SEATTLE -- The 520 bridge has reopened after a weekend closure which allowed crews to hoist 42 huge concrete girders into place as part of the massive bridge and highway expansion project.
WSDOT construction engineer Brian Dobbins said now more than 100 girders at four overpasses are in place.
“That’s a great milestone, but we still have a lot of work between now and December 2013 to finish improving the SR 520 corridor with six lanes, transit stops and lidded overpasses,” said Dobbins.
Starting this morning, changes along the highway workzone will shift buses to merge with general traffic west of 92nd Avenue Northeast, a move that allows westbound traffic a longer merge with improved visibility from the 84th Avenue Northeast on-ramp.
While WSDOT officials may be heralding this as a milestone and continuing to promise the project will be finished on time, other elected leaders say it’s only being accomplished thanks to political favoritism.
KOMO 4 News Problem Solver Tracy Vedder has uncovered one local city where leaders say the state’s heavy hand is turning their community into a virtual island.
WSDOT construction engineer Brian Dobbins said now more than 100 girders at four overpasses are in place.
“That’s a great milestone, but we still have a lot of work between now and December 2013 to finish improving the SR 520 corridor with six lanes, transit stops and lidded overpasses,” said Dobbins.
Starting this morning, changes along the highway workzone will shift buses to merge with general traffic west of 92nd Avenue Northeast, a move that allows westbound traffic a longer merge with improved visibility from the 84th Avenue Northeast on-ramp.
While WSDOT officials may be heralding this as a milestone and continuing to promise the project will be finished on time, other elected leaders say it’s only being accomplished thanks to political favoritism.
KOMO 4 News Problem Solver Tracy Vedder has uncovered one local city where leaders say the state’s heavy hand is turning their community into a virtual island.
Watch KOMO 4 News Monday night at 11:00 p.m. as The Problem Solvers investigate the unintended consequences of fast progress on the 520 project.