East-side water line work starts Monday

The city of Vancouver is encouraging drivers to take alternate routes as construction begins Monday on a major project to install 12,800 feet of water transmission main, starting in the northbound lanes of Southeast 164th Avenue at 34th Street.

The city’s long-planned Eastside Water Line Project will move water from the west, where supplies are greater, to the east, where growth is higher, ensuring a continued supply of drinking water, the city said in a news bulletin. The project will occur on Southeast 164th Avenue, between 34th and 15th streets; and on Southeast McGillivray Boulevard, between 136th and 164th avenues.

Work on the Southeast 164th Avenue portion of the project is anticipated to be finished by September, while construction of the Southeast McGillivray portion of the project is anticipated to occur between August and November.

Construction will progress north on Southeast 164th Avenue from 34th Street to 15th Street.

Traffic controls, signs, flaggers and notices will be used to alert drivers to lane closures, delays and possible detours. Where possible, drivers are encouraged to take another route, such as Southeast 192nd Avenue or Interstate 205.

Added construction efforts also will be taken to alleviate impacts and maximize the safety along this busy corridor. They include:

• Beginning construction at 5 a.m. and continuing to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and using noise-reduction efforts during those early hours.

• Keeping at least two northbound lanes of Southeast 164th Avenue open during peak traffic hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. At least one northbound lane will remain open all other times.

• Keeping all southbound lanes of Southeast 164th Avenue open at peak travel hours of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekdays. Southbound lane closures are expected to be very limited.

• Maintaining access to all businesses along the east side of Southeast 164th Avenue through side streets and other driveways.

Neighbors and the public can getwith ongoing updates and details about this project at http://www.cityofvancouver.us/eastsidewaterline.

Rotschy Inc. of Vancouver is the contractor for the project, with the lowest bid of $2.3 million.

A separate project to pave the remaining Southeast 164th Avenue lanes in the Eastside Water Line Project area is targeted for 2012-13.