SULTAN — Bad weather made the Washington State Department of Transportation postpone construction of a roundabout on U.S. 2.
Now, the DOT is planning to narrow the highway to one lane starting at 7 p.m. April 8 until 6 a.m. April 13 on Rice Road, east of Sultan.
“We hope to get it done in April before summer travel picks up,” spokeswoman Meghan Pembroke said.
Crews are set to work on a 1,600-foot stretch which would cause significant backups and 90-minute delays. About 14,000 vehicles go through that stretch on a daily basis, according to the Transportation Department’s figures. A flagger will direct traffic.
After that, the roundabout will become part of the highway, making it the second roundabout on U.S. 2. The other one is located in Wenatchee.
Construction had been planned for next week because schools are on spring break. With the new schedule, the DOT is planning to talk with the Sultan School District so school buses don’t get caught in traffic, Pembroke said.
The Transportation Department is asking commercial trucks to use U.S. 97 and I-90.
Another closure is planned in the summer to add a second layer of pavement.
The DOT also is planning a one-lane closure on U.S. 2 to fix the Anderson Creek Bridge railing 10 miles east of Sultan. This closure is planned to be around the clock starting April 9 through April 26.
The closure of the westbound lane would cause a 15-minute delay. The speed limit also will be reduced to 35 mph, Pembroke said.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
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