State transportation officials expect 2012 to be a quiet highway construction year in Whatcom County, with no new mega-projects breaking ground.
"We only have a couple road projects this year, much less than what we've had in the last five years," DOT spokesman Dustin Terpening said. "I'm sure it will be a nice reprieve for drivers, not having to deal with the road and lane closures like we've had in recent years."
Still, drivers can expect to encounter a couple of highway projects and numerous county and city projects. Following are some of the new, larger, more visible ones drivers will see:
STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
• Highway cameras: Crews plan to install 21 new traffic cameras along Interstate 5 between Bellingham and Blaine.
"It will be nice to have those additional 'eyes' on the road when we're done," Terpening said. "Road cameras are definitely one of our most popular features on our website, especially during storms."
The project, estimated at up to $8.8 million, includes installing 15.5 miles of new fiber-optic cable and 14 traffic data stations, in addition to the new cameras.
• Mount Baker Highway paving: Crews will repave nearly three miles of the highway between Fossil Creek and Wells Creek Road, east of Glacier. The estimated cost is $1.9 million.
For the first time in years, the DOT is not planning to install any new roundabouts on highways.
BELLINGHAM
• Northwest Avenue roundabout II: City officials hope to build a second roundabout along Northwest Avenue near I-5 this year. The first was built along Northwest at the northbound I-5 ramps. This one would be located at Northwest and McLeod Road. The project includes installing sidewalks along McLeod near the project. The estimated cost is $2.9 million.
• Northwest Avenue bike lanes: City officials will install bike lanes along the Northwest Avenue corridor between I-5 and the Dupont Street bridge over Whatcom Creek. Crews also will repave Elm between Northwest and Dupont, as well as Dupont between Elm and the bridge. The project includes pedestrian improvements. It's estimated at $1 million.
• Monroe Street work: Crews will replace aging water lines along Monroe Street, repave the street and make pedestrian improvements at the east end of Monroe in the Fountain District. The water main replacement and paving will take place along Monroe between Broadway and Cherry Street and a short segment of Lafayette Street from Eldridge Avenue to the dead end. The project is estimated at $2.2 million.
WHATCOM COUNTY
• Rural road safety: Whatcom County will improve safety on heavily traveled roads. Crews will install centerline and edge rumble strips along the following roads: Hannegan, Birch Bay-Lynden, Smith, Everson-Goshen and Slater. They'll upgrade 14 bridge approaches with new guardrails and install left-turn lanes at the intersection of West Smith and Aldrich roads. They'll install flashing warning beacons at Hannegan and East Smith roads alerting drivers that they're approaching a signal, and they'll upgrade signs at Birch Bay-Lynden and Berthusen roads to improve safety. The project, estimated at $1.3 million, is mostly funded by a federal grant.
• Repaving: Crews will rebuild three miles of Lake Whatcom Boulevard between Strawberry Point and Lake Louise roads, estimated at $750,000. The project also involves improvements to clean stormwater.
In a separate project estimated at $440,000, they'll repave 1.5 miles of Hannegan Road between Scott Ditch and Lynden city limits.
• New culvert: Crews will install a new culvert fish can pass through along Bay Road, a project estimated at $563,000. It's located just east of Valley View Road. The project will open an additional mile of coho salmon spawning habitat.
• New bridge: Crews will begin a project to replace the Potter Road bridge over the south fork of the Nooksack River. Construction will begin this summer, but a majority of it will occur in 2013. The project is estimated at $8.5 million, mostly paid by federal funds.
FERNDALE
• Main Street: Crews will widen and improve Main Street between Douglas and Church roads, a project estimated at $4.4 million. Crews also will install sidewalks and bike lanes.
LYNDEN
• Street bridge: Crews will replace a culvert carrying Fishtrap Creek under Main Street with a bridge. The project, mostly paid with federal emergency funds, is estimated at $3 million. The culvert was damaged two years ago during flooding.
BLAINE
• Marine Drive: Crews will repave the street, extend a pedestrian-bicyclist path and install decorative lighting. The work will occur near the railroad tracks, off Peace Portal Drive. The project is estimated at $520,000.
• H Street: The city will upgrade H Street between Harrison Street and Peace Portal Drive to a turn-of-the-century theme, and they'll repave the street. The project is estimated at $520,000.
EVERSON
• Mission Road: Crews will rebuild nearly half a mile of Mission Road from Chestnut Street to the south. They'll also widen the road, install a sidewalk on one side, upgrade a water line and extend a sewer line. The project is estimated at $600,000.
