SR-902 sealing work cranks up around July 23

By CARA LORELLO

Staff Reporter

State Route 902 from Medical Lake to the Interstate 90 interchange will be under construction for chip and fog seal improvements starting Monday, July 23, as one of several Spokane area road projects Washington State Department of Transportation has scheduled for its eastern region.

Central Washington Construction based in Moses Lake was awarded a $4,891,540 bid from WSDOT to complete seal projects to portions of state highways 902, 904, 231, 28, 25, 23 and 21 this year. Work is underway with completion dates expected this summer.

Medical Lake construction will span from the I-90 interchange as far as Lakeland Village, WSDOT Eastern Region Public Information Officer, Al Gilson said, adding that WSDOT typically schedules chip seal projects every six years on its lesser-traveled highways.

Chip seal construction involves application of a special protective wearing comprised of asphalt and water mixture applied to roads, followed by an evaporation period and a 3/8- inch layer of crushed gravel. Gravel is compacted and embedded into the asphalt by rubber-tired rollers.

The process can require up to two days to properly cure.

Hot weather can speed up this process, during which vehicles can usually pass over the surface at a reduced speed.

Seals extend the life of a roadway by preventing water from penetrating road structures, providing skid-resistance and minimizes aging of paved surfaces. The cost of chip seals is 15-20 percent of the cost of an overlay project.

The chip seal portion of construction will begin July 23, followed by the fog seal portion on July 30, according to a schedule released on July 12.

WSDOT encourages motorists to exercise caution at this time, and commuters should expect delays with flaggers and pilot cars directing single-lane traffic through the duration of all seal operations. During the chip seal process, from the time gravel is placed to the post-curing surface sweeping, advisory speed limits will be in place due to loose gravel.

Extremely hot weather may affect the project schedule, which is subject to change.

Updates on area road projects can be viewed online at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Eastern/ConstructionUpdate/. For more information, contact WSDOT Eastern Region office at 324-6015.

Cara Lorello can be reached at [email protected]