WSDOT hosts open house for bridge replacement

COLFAX - The Washington State Department of Transportation held an open house to discuss how WSDOT incorporated community feedback into the two design options for the State Route 26 and US 195 intersection in Colfax Tuesday, March 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Center, 102 South Main Street.

WSDOT Project Engineer Jody Qualley started the open house by stating that the team would present alternatives to what community members may have seen earlier in an open house for public feedback on designs Thursday, December 8, 2022.

Construction of the west structure of the SR 26 bridge happened in 1938, and construction of the US 195 east structure took place in 1931, Qualley reiterated, stating that they are past their service life.

WSDOT Project Manager Patrick Barclay presented slides explaining that the images were just sketches, not the final design.

Option A is a "Tee" Intersection, which maintains north and south movements on US 195 without making travelers stop. Instead, those traveling southbound would have a slip lane directly onto SR 26, and all other actions needing access to SR 26 would use the "Tee" intersection to make movements. In addition, some design features include a potential for a 3- or 4-lane bridge with dedicated left turns lanes to prevent congestion on US 195.

Option B, a roundabout located north of the North Fork Palouse River, would allow movements of US 195 and SR 26. Possible features in the design include a 3- or 4-lane bridge with potential bypass lanes as a detour for the roundabout, except for any left-turn movements.

Barclay explained that the Roundabout option's curve, when first drawn, was difficult for heavier trucks, so the new design would have that straightened out. He stated that both configurations would leave the bridge operational while construction took place.

WSDOT Traffic Engineer Glenn Wagemann spoke next about the safety analysis of the potential projects, stating that all operate on a different type of severity.

Wagemann calculated that the data of the last five years shows that the existing bridge has a total number of collisions at two and a half a year and that the roundabout would cause the most considerable decrease in estimated crashes a year.

One citizen asked how he obtained the numbers, which he confirmed were collected at national levels. Wagemann stated for years of data collected, the crash modification factor has proven to drop 75% with a roundabout.

A citizen asked whether the roundabout could handle game days, harvest, and the end and beginning of school, including a grade for how the roundabout could take that. Wagemann said he would get the numbers and present them at the next informational meeting.

The WSDOT team presented a video of a large truck completely circling the roundabout, to which one citizen inquired how it could work with a semi with a jeep under it.

Wagemann stated that, in this case, they could put a flat area with an unscrew sign in the middle for such vehicles to get through the roundabout.

WSDOT Assistant Project Engineer Mike Walton addressed Community feedback from the December open house, stating that many people mentioned that there was no way they would walk across the bridge or if there were improvements to walking options. In addition, many had said the current design seemed dangerous.

The feedback gained from the last open house went into current designs. Walton stated further that any present feedback would be considered the future designs.

Transportation planner Shea Suski spoke about walking paths and sustainable ways to cross the bridge to get to Zips or Les Schwab.

Suski also mentioned complete streets, the Washington State Legislature that passed the Move Ahead Washington package, including a requirement for WSDOT to include streets that feel safe for everyone, including users regardless of their age and ability, in all state transportation projects in population centers over $500,000 starting design on or after July 1, 2022.

Attendees showed concern about what would happen to the Chevron on the bridge, which one citizen mentioned was around 90 years ago. Qualley stated they are still determining what would happen with that and how to move forward.

The timeline predicts the schedule to begin in spring 2025, 2027, as the anticipated project completion.

The WSDOT team will meet with the community again to discuss the analysis results and obtain additional feedback before beginning the formal design process schedule.

The public can review the design, ask questions and provide feedback once the presentation concludes.

There is an online survey to view designs and provide additional feedback anytime through Friday, March 31. at surveymonkey.com/r/ColfaxFeedback