Hwy 99 reopens

LYNNWOOD — The second phase of the renovation of Highway 99 has been a real pain in the 20,000 tons of asphalt.

On Sept. 19, after over a year delay, Lynnwood city officials including Mayor Mike McKinnon and past Mayor Tina Roberts-Martinez along with several other stake holders cut the ribbon to officially reopen the main thoroughfare.

“This is terrific – I’ve gotten so many comments from citizens how nice the improvements are. A road like this will make it so much easier for our citizens to travel between businesses and neighborhoods,” McKinnon said.

Representatives from the state Department of Transportation, Community Transit, the state Transportation Improvement Board and Sound Transit gathered in front of Jimbo’s Family Restaurant at 196th Street SW and the Highway to celebrate the end of a long, drawn out process.

“I’m really glad to get it open again not only for the citizens and businesses but also for those who want to come to Lynnwood,” said Bill Vlcek, Lynnwood public works director.

Midway through the road construction the city fired the contractor.

“The hired contractor, Tydico, was terminated for not performing in accordance to the contract,” Vlcek said. “The job was supposed to be finished July 31, 2001. They didn’t adhere to the contract time and we worked and worked with them and it just didn’t happen.”

Tydico officials didn’t return phone calls.

Along with all of the new pavement, the new portion of Highway 99 from 208th Street SW to 168th Street SW includes seven lanes with high-tech traffic lights, 179 catch basins, 85 manholes and 228,000 raised lane markings.

The first phase, mostly through Edmonds, started at the King and Snohomish county line and ended at the south side of 208th Street SW in Lynnwood. It was finished in August, 2000.

The total project cost for all of the Highway 99 work is $33.5 million,” Vlcek said. “Phase 2’s construction cost is $12 million.”

Vlcek said funding partners for Phase 2 included:

– $6 million, state Transportation Improvement Board (State gas tax)

– $3.5 million, federal Gas Tax Grants

– $715,000, state DOT

– $1 million, Sound Transit

– $150,000, Boeing Mitigation Funds

– $640,000, utility reimbursements and the city of Lynnwood.

The third phase will run from 168th to 148th Street Southwest in the unincorporated Snohomish County area, Vlcek said. This portion will be inspected by WSDOT with Snohomish County taking the lead to build the third and last phase. Construction on the third phase is planned to start this fall and finish by the end of summer 2003.