Edens Road construction starts Monday, Aug. 24
Skagit County Public Works will be temporarily repairing Edens Road, on Guemes Island, starting Monday, August 24. Construction is expected to last until early September. Starting this week, riders will see County trucks traveling frequently on the ferry. The work will take place Monday through Friday each week.
Edens Road has been closed for approximately 8 months due to ongoing issues with water over the road. After raising the road about 10 years ago, it has become necessary to do it again. This is not an issue with the existing culverts; rather, there has been a recent inundation of beaver population and activity that has blocked the outfall of the drainage basin.
Q&A
Why are you doing this project now during the busiest time of year for ferry traffic?
- This is the driest time of year and the water level is at its lowest. This work was originally scheduled for June; however, there was still too much water on the road; therefore, crews had to postpone.
Why do the trucks have to go back and forth? Couldn’t you stockpile materials on the island?
- County crews have stockpiled some materials already; however, they were unable to stockpile everything they will need for the project.
What can the County do to minimize the impact to ferry riders?
- County crews will do their best to minimize running trucks on peak runs.
- Runs specifically for county equipment will be scheduled for after-hours when possible.
- We will keep you informed by updating this information as the project progresses.
We appreciate your patience as we work to maintain our beautiful island.
For more information, please contact: John Davidson, Road Operations Division Manager, by phone at (360) 770-5182 or email at
johnd@co.skagit.wa.us.
The Ferry Dock Rehabilitation project is currently in the design phase, with permitting in progress now. Construction is scheduled for 2020-2021. This project will replace three concrete girders that Skagit County was not able to replace during the dock reconstruction in 2011. These girders are located under the NE corner of the dock, well outside of the area where vehicular traffic drives. These three girders are the main factor in the lower sufficiency rating given to the Anacortes dock.
Once all these projects are complete, the Washington State Department of Transportation will reevaluate the sufficiency rating of the docks during its next bridge inspection.
More information on how WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration classify bridges.
Related:
Contact
Captain Rachel Rowe
Ferry Operations Division Manager
Skagit County Public Works
Anacortes Terminal - 500 I Ave. Anacortes, WA 98221
Ferry Office: (360) 293-6433 Cell: (360) 333-1496
Direct Line: (360) 416-1466 Fax: (360) 293-1899
rrowe@co.skagit.wa.us
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